The Fool List
by onetimetrip
Summary: Due to unexpected circumstances, Red was forced to come down Mt Silver, and soon he comes face to face with battles, hidden truths, legends and conflicts that seem to revolve around a single psychopathic enemy and the enigmatic Major Arcana. In this dangerous game where lives are wagered, sacrifices are made and conspiracies run amok, can he, as the Fool, do what it takes to win?
1. Chapter 1: Undefeated

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 **"The life where nothing was ever unexpected. Or inconvenient. Or unusual. The life without color, pain, or past."**

 **The Giver**

* * *

Chapter 1: Undefeated

It was a dull place of simple gray and white. The rough ceiling covered the entire rocky terrain, its huge boulders serving as challenging climbs, the slippery rocks moistened by the melting snow. The sunlight can never hope to penetrate through this deep rocky jungle, almost as if it had been forsaken, with the air cold and numbing to the skin. In this place, only the strong survive.

For the weak, it was simple logic that their destination is death. And their incompetence permanently marked the grounds of this place, their remains littering the rugged corners.

Despite how frigid and miserable it gets, through the winding tunnels, there is always something that is deservedly for those who triumph over the mountain. The only area permitted for the exposure to light, was where the victor resides. Only the mightiest of the mountain can stay up there and reign over the harsh nature.

And the current king is a simple fifteen year-old human boy. Young, one might say, and certainly remotely unbelievable for him to be the strongest. But yet he had conquered it, and now he was just passing his day by, the teenager staring up at the dull grayish ceiling he had always stared at. His chest heaved up and down as he breathed, the smell of ripe berries wafting up his nose.

The little volcanic activity left within the mountain provided a blessed warmth for the king, and scarce rays of sunlight would occasionally peek in and greet the cold interior, encouraging plant growth. The spring formed from the snow and the warm temperatures served as a water source for the trainer and his team, while an area outside of the "throne room" was fortunately warm enough to continuously melt the snow and ice that comes hailing down mercilessly every other day, carving out a small stream and a large pond where fishes lived harmoniously with nature. For him, this was plenty enough, almost luxurious, for survival.

Letting out a short yawn, the boy blinked away tears of sleep, his right hand pushing a fraying baseball cap over his face as he attempted to catch a snooze. The cap was reduced to a pitiful pink hue, the glorious shade of crimson it once had all weathered away. Even his clothes screamed of rags, blood and tatters, with his vest and scarf already breaking down into threads and bits. The pair of jeans he was wearing were roughed up pretty badly, with a few tears at the hem, and a poorly mended hole at the right kneecap. A conqueror without the right clothing. But of course, he paid no heed to appearances and was instead, more focused on getting stronger.

Four years ago, he achieved his ambition of being the Indigo League Champion, the strongest in Kanto. He completed the Pokédex, a feat worthy of mention, for he had once owned all Pokémon found in the Kanto region at the young age of eleven. He never lost a battle ever since he held that pompous position, earning him an extravagant title: the Undefeated Champion.

Yet he wasted away for a year with all the meaningless bouts of one-hit KOs, experiencing the torturous lifestyle of a battling machine during his Champion days. He retired from that heavy title after tolerating everything for a full year, the adolescent lethargic of being in the center of attention.

He hated the expectations, the attention, the boring battles that were hurled at him twenty times a day. He was himself, not someone categorized as a "Champion". And finally, enough of everything, he ran away.

He had thought of going back home, to that house in Pallet Town. But whenever he remembered the bad memories of getting swamped by crowds, he shunned the idea away, again and again, and soon it slipped away from his mind.

Up here, he was accompanied by his able team of six: Pikachu, Espeon, Charizard, Venusaur, Blastoise and Snorlax. The group trained tirelessly up on the mountain and daily routine was filled with target practice, practice matches, running, weightlifting. The training choices were limitless. Their living quarters consisted of a simple tent where the smaller sized ones stay, while the larger sized Pokémon slept outside. For three straight years, they survived on fishes and berries provided by the scarce food sources on the mountain.

If supplies ran low, he would allow Charizard, Pikachu and Espeon to leave the mountain and get more food. Initially, they would eagerly fly to some human settlement and nick away bags of meat. Their trainer, disapproving of their actions, taught them the concept of money and now the trio will "buy" the meat, hauling in their catch after each trip. But their trainer never went down the mountain even once.

A loud growl resounded in his stomach and the teenager dragged his cap off his face as he stared at the ceiling with a tired expression. Attempting to sit up, he felt a fluffy yellow mess curled up on his abdomen and he gave a silent smile. Then he carefully picked up his snoozing buddy and gently placed him onto the rocky ground. Pikachu squirmed a little, before lying on his belly, his drool forming a small puddle on the floor. Now that he observed, his whole team was sleeping like pigs after the long training hours. Seeing this as a chance to enjoy some alone time, he stood up and quietly walked away, his silhouette leaving the room.

After treading and leaping across many rough boulders and slippery rocks, he landed lightly onto lower ground. A water body no bigger than a tennis court greeted itself to the frequent customer. The pond was pretty far away, and the path that leads to it was hindered by masses of rock and hidden Pokémon that could attack him at a moment's notice. He gingerly crossed the terrain, having the urge to go fishing. His hands reached into his pocket, and then he took out a Pokéball where his fishing rod was ingeniously packed inside it.

Footsteps crunching, brittle soil crackling and suddenly, he lurched forward, his body suddenly feeling strangely heavy. He gasped, cold sweat rolling down his neck, while his heart palpitated wildly, an unbearable heat enveloping him. He clutched his head, dropping his fishing rod, as his head throbbed painfully.

 _It's time._

A deep voice spoke within his head. As if it was from a distant past, from a deep abyss within himself.

 _Twenty-two cards._

His knees went weak, and the next moment, he fell towards a strangely round and green plated rock. A loud thud onto the queer boulder made him winced in pain, before he barely got a glimpse of furious red eyes, as he tried to fight the pain that was burning him from the inside. The trainer breathed heavily as he realized the huge blunder he just made.

The rock sphere shook violently and spun on the spot, scratching the boy's arms with its rough surface, and soon it revealed its limbs and head. It stared down coldly at the human child beneath it, its face red with anger. With a fast motion, it rolled itself up and charged towards the boy.

A devastating and crushing blow was sent to his abdomen, as digestive juices squirmed in pain within his stomach. He felt a mix of blood and saliva in his mouth, before the Golem rolled onto his bones, sending sickening cracks in his left arm and shoulder. The boy's eyes stared at the cold grey ceiling as he laid there, before the intense waves of pain came attacking everywhere, and with a mouthful of blood, he screamed his lungs out. His body was burning and nothing connected within his skeleton.

This unprecedented level of pain was one he had never experience before, and his mind started shutting down, his screams growing fainter by the second. The Golem shot itself up into the air, getting ready to finish off the helpless king of the mountain. The boy's vision blurred steadily, his heart thumping painfully, the agonizing pain still spreading throughout his body. He could barely hear the voice, that had been saying some things for while now, yet he could no longer scream nor understand whatever was going on, as he awaited his death.

 _Number Zero, The Fool._

Red whited out.

* * *

He ascended the steep slopes, his muscles all tensed. The boy was dressed in a simple red-white jacket, baggy Bermudas and rather worn-out sneakers. He should have worn warmer clothing, or at the very least, a pair of long pants that could cover his knees. The air was chilling and stinging, and his freezing sweat made him feel colder than ever. Ethan dragged out his scarf and winter gloves, his breath misting up. His favorite black-gold cap was covered with a thin film of frost, and even the tuft of fringe that jutted out of his cap was hardened, like an icicle hanging down from his head. The temperatures were indeed cold like death, and his sources told him that it was at least negative nine degrees up here. His recklessness propelled him to dive into Mt Silver without prior planning and now he was becoming frozen meat.

His rare gold eyes went shut as a crisp gale swept by him, biting his skin as he shuddered. He'd reckoned that he can make through this natural maze, but with these shivery temperatures, his body can only hold up for five hours. Maybe he could scout around the terrain, before going back to the nearest city to spend his cash on a woolly coat and pants. His main mission up here was to find that person.

That person was the one who inspired him and spurred him on to go onto a journey and now Ethan was sitting on the seat that person had once sat on. He was going to meet him, and battle him, without fail.

To find the Undefeated Champion called Red.

It was tough reaching here. He had to defeat the eight Johto Gym Leaders, followed by the Elite Four and Lance, then the Gym Leaders of Kanto, and now the summit is all that is left for him to imprint his mark.

After weeks of investigation, he managed to determine the likely location of Red, by slowly piecing up the bits of information. It was nowhere else except for Mt. Silver. Ethan trudged on, banged into a few walls of rock, ended up at dead ends, stumbled into wild and vicious Pokémon. He went through twists and turns, and finally the five hour limit was up.

"I swear I will find him...," muttered Ethan as he pushed the scarf up, his nose and ears red from the biting cold. He glared at the snow-white rocks and boulders before him, before he reluctantly grumbled and turned around, finally deciding that it was enough hiking for one day.

* * *

 _Espeon, where're you going?_ Pikachu called out, as he noticed the feline heading outside. Where does she plan to go, when Red was already in such a perilous situation?

Days ago, they were shocked awake by his ear-splitting screams and had rushed over in time to avoid further damage caused by the Golem. It was truly unexpected, considering that it was rare for Red to be this careless. None of them understood how he got injured, but the whole team could only feel a sense of dread and guilt, for none of them were by his side when he was attacked. His bones were badly broken, and they will have to go to a hospital for treatment. However, they won't be able to properly bring him to the hospital, since the team members were either too big or too small to carry their trainer down the mountain.

It might be possible if Espeon uses Teleport, but Red had firmly forbid her to use it. His pride had got into the way and now his priorities were jumbled up. The feline herself had confessed that she would not dare to use Teleport on an injured human being, lest it caused further damage to his body.

And now, this teammate of his was going off wandering around again.

 _I've got something to do. Take care of Red._

She skipped off, every movement showing off her sleek lavender fur, and Pikachu then stole a glance at his trainer, whose complexion was as pale as ever. He did not know what she plans to do, whether Red will survive, whether they will have to go back. Questions left unanswered, the yellow mouse went to join the sleeping Red and the rest of his teammates.

Espeon, on the other hand, continued to descend down the rocky boulders, moving straight and finally she nimbly jumped up a stack of rocks, perching herself at the top. This was her favorite and most strategic spot, where she could get a full view of the mountain's ground level. Her purple eyes glinted as she stared at the moving figure that was darting around the place.

This human child had been quite persistent, and had continued to search for Red for four days straight, and she had been tracking him all the while. Tracking was not hard for a Psychic Pokémon like herself, and neither was it hard to know exactly what he was doing. Espeon started twitching her ears as she used her psychic powers, scanning the whole area. The red jewel on her forehead glowed, and within her mind, a whole map of the mountain was slowly piecing up.

Espeon hissed when she realized that slowly but surely, the trainer was about to achieve his goal. From her observations, he is strong as a trainer, stupidly reckless, and has really good instincts. It was pure luck and coincidence for him to be here right after Red got injured. Even so, to her, she knows one thing:

 _This child is poison to Red._

The mystery surrounding him was enough for Espeon to keep him away from her trainer. She does not know his reason for finding Red, nor does she know what he will do if he finds Red injured. The chances of him going to harm her trainer, physically or mentally, was high. She did not need him to save Red. Neither will Red want this boy to save him. All her trainer wanted, was to be alone, and never go back to that place. Even she herself was tired of where the humans mingled, where her teammates and her trainer were treated like idols and machines, whose sole purpose was to battle and battle all day. The whole freaking day.

No wonder Red was so annoyed in going back home. No, he was afraid to. Afraid that if he went back, he would never be the same again. Not the carefree trainer he wanted to be, but the Champion that was constantly stuck in that cold place devoid of emotions.

She will fend him off, and make sure he will never set foot on their territory ever again. Then she stole one last look at the child, before dashing down the rough rocks, finally disappearing into a small tunnel.

Meanwhile, back in the tunnel, Pikachu perked up, his head turning left and right when he felt those mysterious waves. Charizard noticed his actions, his tail whipping from side to side as he attempted to sense whatever was coming. Blastoise's eyes remained close, while Snorlax continued to snore audibly. Venusaur let out a small growl as his eyes narrowed, the leaves on his back rustling.

 _Looks like Espeon found an intruder._ Said Blastoise.

 _Someone strong?_ Charizard asked.

 _Most likely,_ the Water-type replied. Meanwhile, Venusaur was a little far away from the crowd as he planted himself underneath the sunlight spot, wanting to regain his lost energy by doing some photosynthesis, and totally reluctant to let this chance go as he did not budge from his seat to join the discussion properly. Blastoise frowned as he plodded over to snoozing Snorlax, before he sprayed a weak Hydro Cannon at Snorlax's huge fat belly.

 _Mmm... Blast... shut up...,_ muttered the lazy Pokémon.

The team started hurling their attacks at the lazy fat pig, except for Venusaur who also started rolling under that small spot of sunlight with contentment. A Thunder, a Flamethrower, a full- power Water Pulse and finally Snorlax grumbled angrily, sitting up with absolute annoyance.

 _So what do we do now? Intruder aside, Red isn't getting better...,_ Charizard said, worried.

 _But neither is it getting worse. We can't make the decision yet, it's his call,_ Blastoise replied in a low tone.

 _Even things gets worse, we still have to return to that place... He has been here for far too long_ Pikachu said, glancing at Red's sleeping self. The atmosphere grew heavy all of a sudden, with the whole team in low spirits. If they really have to bring Red back, what will happen? Insecurities and doubts circling within their minds, a loud snore broke them out of their thoughts and they turned to look at the perpetrator. Meanwhile, Venusaur let out a stifled laugh as he looked at the scene that unfolded a second later.

Pikachu, Charizard and Blastoise all unleashed their attacks, with poor Snorlax's fur standing on end, his head full of singing hair, his whole body wet.

And he was still sleeping.

The rest sighed in resignation, their discussion forgotten.

* * *

"Damn!" Ethan yelled as he flexed his muscles, his legs pedaling for his life, breath fogging into mist in large amounts. Arching his back forward, he tried to gain speed while fighting against the strong winds. His throat felt parched, while his hands trembled from the cold as he gripped onto the bike handles. There was something chasing after him, with killing intent, and his instincts had once again saved him in time, and now here he was trying to escape from his mysterious pursuer.

This won't do, he was already running out of breath. Chest constricted by the many layers of clothing, Ethan unzipped his thick winter jacket, panting heavily. Cold sweat rained down his whole body, and he hurriedly wiped his forehead, before flicking away the perspiration with his right hand. And finally he pedaled up to higher level and cycled on, before he felt himself cycling in mid-air.

 _Cycling in mid-air?_

In that instant, he felt his whole body getting pulled down by gravity, his bicycle crashing onto the downhill slope, body rocketing headfirst towards the ground. Ethan snapped his eyes shut, as streaks of colors swept past him, followed by a bright white flash. He did not know what happened, as he readied himself for impact.

Nothing came.

Ethan blinked his eyes open, his breath all normal, no scratches, no bruises, no harm. The air was a lot thinner and colder, the surroundings blanketed with thick thick snow. He was not lying on the ground, and instead he was standing on his own two feet, everything intact. His bicycle had disappeared while before him loomed a flight of stairs made of rock. Ethan turned to the left, right, below, above.

His back-stepped a little as his eyes went wide with surprise, and finally he tripped and landed on his backside with a thump. For some miraculous reason, right now, he is at the very top of the mountain, the sky full of snowflakes that shimmered in the afternoon sun. He took a handful of snow and rubbed it in between his fingers, pinched his cheeks, checked his backpack, and yes, everything felt real. Picking himself up, Ethan looked to the edge of the narrow path and gulped nervously. Proven by the impossibly steep ledges on the opposite sides of the pathways, there was no mistake that he ended up on the summit.

Ethan turned back to check if the pursuer was still present, but there was no ominous presence that required him to run for his life. Heaving a sigh of relief, the boy gazed upwards and gave a chuckle. If this is the summit, there ought to be a certain somebody up there. The boy breathed in the freezing air, his lungs shivering, his heart palpitating wildly. Gold eyes flashing with excitement, Ethan ascended up the stairs.

Then he spotted a figure, a tall one. Ethan quickened his steps, his eyes sparkling in wonder, and soon he managed to make out the figure's features. A back-facing male with unkempt raven black hair, he wore a red vest that was teared in places, with the white collar turned up, as well as a scraggy pair of jeans with two large side pockets. His red-white baseball cap could have been blown away by the gusts of wind had not the male held it down firmly on his head.

When Ethan finally set foot onto the peak, the person turned his head slightly to take a glance at the visitor. Those crimson red eyes burned into Ethan's gold ones as the younger boy gripped onto his bag's shoulder strap tightly, his hands trembling with exhilaration. And Ethan found himself grinning broadly as he stepped forward, his eyes full of determination and zeal. The male turned his whole body to face him, revealing a pale colored face with scarlet rubies. Staring at him, he stared back.

Under the icy conditions, the male stood upright, as if he had been waiting for eternity, for someone to make it this far. Matching the freezing temperatures of the surroundings, those eyes gave Ethan a cold yet burning look.

Giving a hearty laugh, Ethan loosened his grip on the shoulder strap, and instead sank his right hand into his pockets, fingers wrapping around a small Pokéball. Then he slid the round device out, pressed the white button twice, and the Pokéball enlarged itself. Thrusting his right arm out, Pokéball in hand, he breathed in the freezing air. Adrenaline coursing through his vessels as he announced loudly, "My name is Ethan! As the current champion of Johto, I challenge the previous champion,"

"Red, the Undefeated Champion!"

* * *

A bleak wind passed by the silent arena, as more and more snow came tumbling from the clouds, as if trying to cool down the intense atmosphere going on between the two teenagers. Ethan huffed as he brought his scarf higher to his chin. In this battle, it was not only a battle between Pokéball, the trainers themselves had to continuously fight against nature. The pure whiteness of the surroundings made everywhere looked so bright, and Ethan struggled to see how Red was faring under the raw temperatures.

"Umbreon, return."

The Dark-type reduced into a red flash and zigzagged its way back to the Pokéball. And similarly, the Psychic Eeveelution that belonged to Red went back to its own Pokéball. The previous match up was certainly exhilarating, and that Espeon had impressed the young boy.

Despite facing the Dark-type Umbreon, Red's Espeon was quick on its feet, gracefully dodging almost every Dark Pulse Umbreon sent over, and had too successfully dealt damage on its opponent with multiple Returns. In the end, both fell at the same time, resulting in a double KO. But Ethan was aware that if he did not had the type advantage, there was no doubt that he will lose. And he got to admit, the title of Undefeated Champion was no joke.

During the past matchups, Red had only use a single Hyper Potion on his Charizard, compared to Ethan, who had already used up five of them. Plus, he was already struggling so much when he had the type advantages, such as Ampharos VS Blastoise, Lapras VS Charizard and etc. Fighting power alone, Red's team might just be the strongest out of all the trainers he had battled before.

And the most unbelievable thing was that this older boy before him, had never uttered a single battle command, at all. Ethan managed to get a glimpse of his commanding tactics, in which Red used signals to communicate. Normally, Ethan might have been able to read them, but his opponent had utilized the poor visibility to his advantage, so it was almost impossible to predict what was coming next. Red's Pokémon were completely in sync with their trainer, and had no unnecessary movements or whatsoever.

But Ethan was not falling behind either. He had quickly devised a way to similarly prevent Red from predicting his moves, and managed to mask his commands by using the strong winds. He and his Pokémon somehow scuffed through and won against some of their opponent's Pokémon.

Meanwhile, Ethan grasped his last Pokéball firmly, while he felt the goosebumps on his arms and the missing moisture in his mouth. Unsure whether this was fear or excitement, he made out the blurry movements of Red, who was taking out his own last Pokéball and then, came the Alarum bell.

"Come out, Typhlosion!"

"...Pikachu."

The two Pokéballs were then thrown in a straight line, and time seemed to stand still as the two devices rubbed against each other, a tiny spark lighting in between contact, and at that moment, their covers opened, white flashes of light emerging from the Pokéball. Time then seemed to speed up instantly, as a Pikachu and a Typhlosion banged the arena.

A hurl of commands, moves, and action were exchanged in between the two high leveled creatures. Pikachu drove into and out of the thick snow, springing surprise attacks, having no sign of exhaustion. Typhlosion unleashed his own fiery attacks, melting the thick snow in a rush of fireworks, ice blasting from the various explosions. The two weaved in and out, clashed, dodged and by far, this is the most scarily interesting battle Ethan had ever fought.

The last clash arrived with a spark of fire and lightning into the snowy sky. The snow surrounding them shattered and created a cloud of smoke and mist mixed within. Ethan held his breath, as he waited for everything to become clearer.

No type advantage, but purely combat skills and experience all put to test, and everything will be decided.

A large dark figure laid motionless on the ground, not at all budging, the flaming fire on its neck dying down. His expectations halved as Ethan prayed that it could at least end as a double knock-out. Instead, the truth hit him hard, as he witnessed the yellow creature running to the opposite direction. Sinking onto his knees, Ethan knew one thing:

He had lost.

His winning streak was destroyed by this one person like it was child's play. Ethan gritted his teeth, feeling so inferior and weak. Regardless, he picked himself up and rushed to his buddy's side. His arms swung violently as he skidded to a stop right next to Typhlosion. Crouching down, Ethan patted the Pokémon's head and gave a solemn smile.

He have not experience the bitter taste of defeat for so long.

The younger boy then looked down at his teammate, his hands running across Typhlosion's bristling fur, and then he caressed his neck, tears welling up in the boy's eyes. But before those tears could fall, Ethan stopped when he realized something was missing. Questions started popping in his head as the boy checked again and again, but there was no mistake that something was wrong. Right from the start.

Maybe he did not really noticed during the battle due to his hotheadedness, but now that he thought about it, Red's Pokémon had been too...

...Unnatural.

Ethan knows that his gut feeling was telling him something, and the boy paused as he tried to connect everything once more. Remembering how Red had commanded his Pokémon and the like, the boy gave a quick gasp. Poor visibility, to his advantage...

 _How did his Pokémon even managed to see his commands if there is so much snowing?_

Well, maybe the audibility was something to consider, but this question made Ethan think further, even though he doesn't usually use his head. Blinking his eyes in surprise, the boy stood up and gazed at the figure behind the curtain of snowflakes and hail. Red's eyes still shined through, as he stared at the younger boy with never-dying intensity.

Ethan's mouth opened and closed as he exhaled a whole lot of mist, before he made Typhlosion return to his Pokéball. Then the Johto Champion trudged across the thick wintry ground, getting nearer to Red. Standing before him, Ethan confirmed that the Undefeated Champion was indeed tall, and he could see his face clearer than ever. Red had a icy expression, and the most important thing was that, the older boy did not have any red nose or ears at all. Like he was completely immune to the cold, unlike a normal human being.

With a forced smile, Ethan held out his hand and spoke with a somewhat robotic voice, "That was a great battle."

Red did not seem to react to his hand, and simply gave a nod. Ethan gave a smirk as he started watched those eyes full of anxiety. And that was the last thing he needed to assure that his instincts were correct.

"Hey, who are you?"

The fake Red glared at Ethan, who returned it with a more fearsome glower of his golden eyes. The fake Red backed away hastily but was too slow when the younger trainer's hands balled into a fist, and his arm went past the phantom, and immediately, the scenery swirled and warped, as if everything was just a stage, and soon the whole lie was sucked away and Ethan found himself standing in the middle of a white space.

From the looks of it, the mastermind has no intention of revealing its own identity. Ethan sighed as he scratched the back of his head in annoyance.

"Espeon, if you can remove this illusion, I may go easy on you."

In that instant, he lost his footing and found himself falling through the disappearing white space. A purple light flashed, prompting Ethan to cover his vision. Aching pain that spread throughout his body gave him the indication that at long last, he was back to reality. This time, he was lying flat on the ground, and his bicycle was badly dented. He groaned, rubbing his sore bruises, and then glanced at the downhill slope behind him. The boy sat up, dusted away the soil and snow on his clothes, before he gave an irked look at Espeon who appeared from behind the boulders. And for some reason, her body glowed a faint purple.

 _You're not half bad._

Ethan's jaw dropped when he heard the telepathy from within his head, his gold eyes blank with shock. A few seconds later, the boy shook his head, reminded that it was perfectly normal for Psychic-types to converse through telepathy. He then patted his hair into the right places, and swiftly picked up his fallen cap, wearing it in a slanted manner, such that his fringe could stick out properly. Then he turned back to the conversation with the Psychic Pokémon.

"It was easy, since you made Red too artificial, and more importantly, you missed out the scar on Typhlosion's neck. And you're the only Psychic-type I've seen up on this mountain."

 _Hmm, I see, that was my mistake._

"What happened to Red?"

Espeon, startled, fixated her gaze onto the human boy, not comprehending how in the world did he know that Red was in danger. Noticing the Pokémon stoned to the bone, Ethan spoke,

"Well, if Red isn't in danger, why would you go such lengths to do something like trapping me in an illusion?"

Giving a snarl, Espeon bared her canines. She cut off the telepathy line and attempted to escape, when suddenly a curtain of darkness draped around her, and immediately thousands of sinisters eyeballs popped open, the many pupils sloshing left and right like those in a gruesome horror movie. Espeon's nerves paralyzed as cold shivers went down her spine like frost from hell. And right before her, in the midst of the midnight, a pair of eyes with searing red scleroses stared at her amethyst ones. The Umbreon prowled towards her, as it gave a low growl. And right behind her, was none other than the human boy.

"Yeah, you won't be able to escape with Mean Look trapping you here, now just tell-"

Hissing menacingly, Espeon's fur stood on end as she blindly charged towards the Umbreon, letting loose a strong Return, the white flash of energy missing the dark-type by a few millimeters. But there was no time for Ethan to feel relieved when the attack was actually meant to slash open the dark curtains. A vertical opening was created and Espeon rushed to escape from the jaws of the eerie Umbreon, when a pair of hands grabbed her by the abdomen. Giving a yelp, Espeon struggled to free herself from Ethan's grasps, the boy surprised at her aggressiveness.

"I'm not here to harm Red! I can help you!" He yelled as he suffered many scratches from the feline, wincing in pain after he finally calmed the pokemon down. Espeon glared at him, and after establishing a new telepathy line, she yelled back in his mind.

 _Then promise me you will keep his return a secret!_

Ethan widened his eyes, stunned from the loud voice in his mind. Gazing into Espeon's eyes, he gave a few nods, and commanded Umbreon to undo the confinement move. Espeon squirmed out of his hands and cocked her head towards a certain direction, gesturing Ethan to follow her. The boy gave an enthusiastic nod, and hurriedly kept his bicycle, while Umbreon went back inside his own Pokéball. Then, Ethan frantically ran after Espeon.

 _He was finally going to meet him._

His head peeked out to get a quick look at the interior, and immediately, he was caught off guard by the brightness of the room. He could distinctively see the many beams of sunlight penetrating the thick ceiling, the radiance scattering everywhere. Unlike the chilly temperatures outside, this place was warm enough for Ethan to remove his thick winter clothing. The room was large with a dome-shaped ceiling, the many stalagmites and stalactites all columns of great height. Moss, grass and berry trees lined the area, and there was even a tiny spring where water flowed out like a tap. Finally, a make-shift tent laid slump in the far left corner of the small room.

If there was a throne and a grand flight of stairs, this place will certainly look like a throne room.

A loud meow broke Ethan out of his reverie, and he hastily looked forward, Espeon beckoning him to come over. He saw the majestic team of six he had battled in the fantasy arena and golly, they looked powerful. All the Pokémon except for Espeon were glaring at him, agitated and disconcerted. The large Kanto starters and the giant Snorlax were shuffling about in a horizontal line, as if forming a barrier to prevent him from going through. Ethan felt a sudden vibration in his sling bag and flipped the cover open, and six bright lights streaked out, his Pokémon materializing on the spot. His own team of six had forced out of their pokeballs when they perceived the impending threat.

Typhlosion, Ampharos, Tyranitar, Lapras, Umbreon and Togekiss. The two opposite sides glared and growled at each other, animosity brewing in between. Realizing that there was no need for a fight, Lapras, Togekiss and Ampharos slowly approached the frantic Espeon and sided by the feline. The psychic type glowed purple, swiftly setting up telepathy lines to the remaining nine individuals, including Ethan, while Red was still dozing behind the "barrier", oblivious to the intense situation. The moment the lines connected, both sides erupted with words in their heads.

 _Espeon! What's the meaning of this? Why did you bring the intruder here!_

 _No! I-_

 _What's the bloody hell is wrong with you? You wanna fight, huh?_

 _Listen! We need to-_

 _You people leave the mountain this instant! Leave us alone!_

 _What!? We're here to help and that's how you treat us?_

"Shut up!"

All Pokémon present halted their bickering abruptly as they all turned towards Ethan, his rebellious gold eyes burning, shoulders tensing up as he clenched his fist. Finally he yelled, "All those voices in my head is so goddamn annoying! That's why I never liked Psychic-types..." He pouted at the last bit, a vexing expression lining his face. The rest all quietened down, with Venusaur motioning Espeon to explain the situation. She stood in between the opposite parties and projected her voice into all their minds.

 _We have to leave. Red won't survive at this rate._

Blastoise sighed, while Charizard got ready to protest, before Snorlax covered the fire-type's muzzle with his huge paws. Pikachu's eyes just went wide, turning his head away and then he scooted behind the "barrier". Venusaur simply lowered his head and sniffled a little. Confused with what Espeon just said, Ethan broke the silence.

"Hey! What happened to Red?"

The Pokémon before him exchanged glances and unanimously parted a path for Ethan, revealing the person they had been hiding all this time.

Lying on the cold hard ground, he looked exactly like the person presented in the illusion, with that messy black hair, facial features and clothing. The one difference was the paleness of his cheeks, which was as white as the waning moon, his limbs all limp, almost as if he was a doll. Ethan stepped forward heavily, sweat dripping profusely from his forehead when he witnessed the perilous condition Red was in.

He then knelt down carefully, gingerly pressed down his index and middle fingers onto the trainer's wrist, and felt the weak pulsations of his heart. Gritting his teeth, his gold eyes shot a glare at Pikachu, who hastily looked away, knowing that it was partly their fault that Red had ended up this way. Ethan would have reprimanded them when suddenly a weak voice called out.

"...Hey.. who.. are you?"

The younger boy swiftly turned back to gaze into dead eyes of blood red, the Undefeated Champion taking short breaths as he tried to speak. Ethan pursed his lips and sighed, as he waved Lapras to come over.

"I'm here to bring you to a hospital, so stay still."

Immediately, the dying trainer shook his head as he gasped, beads of perspiration rolling down his cheeks as he continued to tolerate the pain. Red shook his head in total defiance, the older boy almost begging. "...Please... don't take me... back there..."

As expected, this guy was resisting the idea of returning back to society, and had paid no heed to his own health. Snapping his fingers, he commanded Lapras to use Sing, and soon a soothing melody dragged the reluctant trainer into a deep sleep. Ethan exhaled a long breath, before he finally spoke.

"Lapras and the rest, go back to your Pokéballs. You guys too."

His team of six complied and returned to their Pokéballs, while Red's team trudged back to their Pokéballs which had been left lying in a corner for months, probably years. Then Ethan called out.

"Espeon, can you use Teleport?"

 _I'm afraid not. With him being this injured, I don't want to risk it._

"Never mind, I'll think of something."

 _Thanks. And sorry for before._

"Nah, it's fine."

Espeon slinked away and returned to her own Pokéball, while Ethan wondered how he should leave this place without injuring the older boy further. In the end, he went with piggybacking, using a elastic rope to secure the hurt Red onto his back. Making sure that they left nothing, Ethan uncoiled another Escape Rope and soon he whizzed out of Mt Silver, with Red on his back.


	2. Chapter 2: Ordinary

Ordinary

My name is Ethan. Hibiki Ethan.

I live with an ordinary family, an ordinary house and I'm basically an ordinary human being. I look ordinary, from my face, to my hair color, to my height, to my clothes and everything. I am what you call an ordinary person. The only thing that is special about my looks are my eyes.

They're gold, like my grandmother's. Apparently when I was born, my parents were so surprised and thought that they got the wrong child.

It is a queer thing to see a person with gold eyes, and the neighbours always commented how royal they looked. My eyes are the only feature of mine that I can proudly call "extraordinary". And this was when I was four.

My childhood consisted of mostly dangerous stunts like outrunning wild Pokémon, climbing and jumping around the green roofs, trying to cross over Tohjo Falls and other silly dares. Dad and Mum were as adventurous as me during their younger days, so they allowed me to do whatever I want. On the other hand, my neighbor Lyra had it hard, since her mother always forced her to wear frilly dresses and feminine accessories, so she hardly tag along with me during my extraordinary feats of bravery. Somehow many of the adults liked to tease us for being childhood sweethearts but no, I'm not even interested in her. I'm reckless and she's violent so it somehow resonated together, and we got along well as a result.

We usually had good-natured banters between us, and a few punches here and there when I got too annoying. She liked to talk about her dreams, which was everyday, and whatever she dreams of gets so volatile that I didn't care anymore. She's much better off being just Lyra than an Aroma Lady.

Then everytime after she set her temporary goal, she would ask me what was mine. And my answer will always be the same.

"To be extraordinary."

"Like being a League Champion?"

"No, much more than that. To do something no one will ever do."

"Such as?"

"I don't know. Yet."

The conversation will then carry off to some other topic, but the same question always popped up every other day. And that was when I was eight.

Everything changed the next summer.

Entering the lab on a sunny morning, I discovered Lyra sitting on the couch, her eyes glued onto the television. It was unusual to see her so fixated onto the visual box and I skipped over immediately after greeting her dad and the assistants.

"What's so interesting?" I inquired. Lyra did not answer, as her mouth hanged open, the potato chip in her hand slipping through her fingers. More curious than ever, I gazed at the screen.

"SCOORREE! It's a whopping victory, with a 5-1 sco-"

As expected, the station is airing the Semifinals of the Kanto League Championships. Matches were not really my cup of tea since I do not plan to be a trainer. Being a trainer sounds like an ordinary dream. I sighed deeply and decided to leave, before my collar was violently tugged from the back, choking me painfully. Coughing, Lyra dragged me to sit and watch, and I could only helplessly comply to this aggressive friend of mine.

"You should be glad they are replaying the previous battle. It'll be a waste if you missed it." She said, as I grumpily sat down.

The screen displayed the battle arena of the Indigo League, as two trainers faced off with one another. I recognized that auburn haired beauty as Lorelei, part of the Elite Four, so I somewhat pity the other trainer for getting her as an opponent. I got the itching urge to do other activities than boring television, but a firm hand on my shoulder warned me otherwise. Then the match started as I stealthily stole a potato chip from Lyra's plate.

"Loreilei sent out Jynx, who's dancing another weird dance again!"

Laughter erupted from the television as the camera zoomed in onto the swaying Jynx that puckered her lips in a hilarious way.

"Now, Red sent out Pikachu! The cutesy little mouse everyone loves, and let us see how he fares against ice types!"

The camera zoomed in onto Pikachu, then onto the trainer, whose face was covered by a red baseball cap.

"Jynx dived in first with a Ice Punch. Ouch, that stings! Pikachu withstood it and returned a Thunderbolt! My goodness, that speed is unreal! Jynx's HP goes down to 29% instantly! What attack power!"

Before I knew it, my body was leaning forward, entranced by the match as the Pikachu disappeared in a flash, reappearing again to deal another electric move on the foe.

"Jynx's down! Cloyster is next! Gosh, it's raining ice in the stadium! We expect nothing less from the Ice Master of the Kanto region to start the second battle with Hail! Oh? Red's not moving, and where did Pikachu go?"

Following the commentor's words, a giant Thunder sliced through the hailstones, the brilliant yellow blinding the screen for a second. When the light faded, a shaky voice screamed.

"A-A ONE-HIT KO! Cloyster's down! The dark horse of this year's League Championship is fearsome! What a Pikachu! Lorelei finally brings out her Lapras, oh and look at that expression! The Elite is 100% serious!"

Lorelei's Lapras unleashed a towering wave of water, and when the Elite swung down her right hand, the water came crashing down.

"Lapras, Ice Beam!" She yelled.

Instantly, the wave froze and a whole new landscape was crafted from the combination of attacks. The crackling of ice could be heard as mist enveloped the arena from the condensation. The huge mass of ice sparkled under the spotlights, with the crowd gasping and cheering.

"Lorelei did it again! The surroundings here is freezing but the battle's intense! Red's Pikachu is frozen at the feet! Will the mouse go down in this match?"

I gulped, nodding my head furiously, my body agreeing to the commentor's question. With a giant ice barrier and partially frozen legs, the chances of winning was slim for that pokemon.

The screen then switched to the Red guy. I observed him intently, wondering what will he do in such a dire situation. My eyes went wide when I spotted an unexpected smile on that trainer's face. Clenching my fist tightly, I anticipated his next move.

"... Pikachu, four Thunderbolts." I faintly heard him saying.

Immediately, the electric mouse's small body glowed yellow, electricity sparking everywhere. The crowd (and I) hushed, and watched the following spectacle. Suddenly, deadly and unmatched thunderbolts shot out from Red's side, and hit the ice barrier repeatedly. At the second attack, a visible crack could be seen at the frozen structure. The third thunderbolt made the crack branch out, and at the fourth, the ice exploded into bits of crystals. The crowd went wild instantly."

At that moment, one word escaped from my mouth.

"Amazing.."

"Did everyone see that? A superb consecutive critical hits of Thunderbolt! Lorelei's not faltering and now another combination attack? Here comes a Surf!"

"Ice Be-"

"I won't let you..." The trainer called out. And immediately after, a Thunder was sent to the tsunami. Lapras let out a cry, as the fluid conducted the electricity towards her, amplifying the damage severely. Despite being paralyzed and weakened, Lapras managed to hold on thanks to her high HP.

"Red intercepted the atta-"

The screen and the whole room blacked out suddenly, and I cried out, shocked and angry at the same time. On impulse, I blindly banged the rotten television with my fists while Lyra came along and kicked the poor old device. Professor Elm hurriedly pulled us away and explained that electricity had been cut off for the whole town. I sank to my knees, and moaned.

"You could watch it online." The professor suggested.

"Ugh... when will the blasted electricity come back?" I grumbled, while Lyra gave me a sympathetic look.

I plodded back home, sulking all the way until I opened the front door. Mum stick her head out from the kitchen and exclaimed how early I was.

"Wonder how long the blackout will last." She said.

"Yeah, hope it takes years." I replied sarcastically. Mum immediately noticed my temper and asked.

"Why the long face?"

I then recounted the exciting battles and complained about the blackout. Then she laughed, pointing the ladle in her right hand towards me in a playful manner.

"It's rare for you to get so eager about something. Finally found yourself someone to look up to?"

My mouth gaped open and waved my hands in denial. A role model? You've got to be kidding me. I will never plan to do something as ordinary as being a trainer...

Then what's this feeling in my chest?

"Ethan?"

Breaking out from my reverie, I shook my head.

"Nah, it's nothing."

Sprinting up the stairs, I dashed into my bedroom. The electricity was still not back, so I could go out and maybe venture into the grass in Route 29 to tease the Sentrets. Yet, I found myself rolling to the computer, clicking the mouse incessantly even though the screen was plain blank. I pressed my chin against the table and let out a long sigh, now unwilling to play outdoors, even though I have nothing better to do. I swiveled my chair around, and leaped onto the bed, squeezing my bolster and then kicked the blanket high into the air. The soft and fluffy sheet landed over me, hiding me from the sunlight. Rolling myself up with the blanket, I dived under the pillows.

Is being a Champion extraordinary?

Tired of thinking, I ignored the questions in my head and went to sleep.

* * *

"-ake up!"

In my half-asleep state, hundred percent of me wanted to slip back to dreamland, immediately. My dry mouth mumbled nonsense, right cheek wet with saliva as my body turned. Whoever was calling me shouted a number of times, before my surroundings went quiet.

All was well until Lyra came barging into my room.

"Goddamn, Ethan! Wake up!"

"Wha-what?!" I sat up in that instant, finally tored away from my slumber. A few punches and kicks made me groaned in pain and I was finally awake. I got ready to complain, when Lyra announced.

"He disappeared!"

"H-Huh? Who?"

"You idiot! It's all over the news! The Champion disappeared!"

My body went rigid as I stared at my childhood friend with transparent eyes. The Champion? Red?

After brushing up and everything, I was pulled out of the house to Route 29. Throughout the whole morning, Lyra fussed about, thinking up of crazy theories pertaining to why did the Champion resigned his position.

"Maybe someone blackmailed him? What if he has a lover? A terminal disease? Oh, it might be-"

"Lyra, shut up." I said, enough of her chattering. When she gets like this, it is not her who gets tired, but me instead. She would have hit me hard for interrupting her, but she paused and pointed at my face.

"You're frowning."

My facial muscles tensed and whatever expression I making now made Lyra wordless. My temper was acting up, and I knew that I should go and hole myself up before I lash out at anyone. Glancing at her, I sighed and got to my feet. In the end, she did not stop me from going home.

Returning to my bedroom, my index finger aimed for the computer switch. I sat down heavily onto my chair, and waited for the system to activate. During the wait, I clenched my fists tightly, my breathing deep and dangerous.

When the webpage was finally up, I typed stuff into the search engine. My eyes reflected the screen's light as I stared intently at the search results. Spotting a video link, I clicked it, hard.

"Lorelei sent out Jynx-"

I moved my mouse and skipped a part of the video.

"-E HIT K-"

Skip.

"-ther combination attack? Here comes a-"

Skip.

"-tercepted the attack! What amazing technique! Pikachu's coming in with a Volt Tackle!"

I relaxed and leaned against the chair as I watched the match I had missed one year ago. I did not bothered to watch it online after that blackout, and now here i was, doing something unlike myself.

"SCOORREE! It's a whopping vic-"

My finger clicked onto the next video in queue.

"Bruno's here! And his next opponent is none other than... RED!"

After the video reached its end, my mouse clicked onto the next one.

"The veteran Ghost type Master Agatha versus Red from Pallet Town!"

Then the next.

"Next up, the cool and heroic Dragon Trainer we all love, the leader of the Elite Four, Lance! Versus the up and coming trainer Red, who has shocked the audience with his phenomenal battling skills and earned his own fan club!"

Then the last.

"Red versus Green! Begin!"

Finally, after hours of watching the screen, the evening sun had arrived and my index finger aimed for the switch once again. Shutting down my computer, I stood up and headed for the ground floor.

 _Why did Red want to become the Champion? Was being one that extraordinary?_

 _Then why did he quit? Was it not as extraordinary as he had thought?_

Such thoughts swirled through my mind, the questions eating at me. I could ask the person himself for the answers, but since he left and disappeared, it is not really possible for me to know anything. Being a trainer never appealed to me, and I'm still not really convinced that going on a journey can make me fulfill my goal of being extraordinary. But after seeing those crazy yet stunning battles, I started thinking of dreaming a normal and common dream.

It did not take long for me to set out on a journey to seek out the worth of a Champion.

* * *

With a twist of the doorknob, I entered the room where I was sent to. Apparently I was supposed to spend my time inside here until the big day, and of course, no one told me that guy was gonna be in here. He stood there gazing outside the window, that classy cape covering his back, giving him a heroic feel. Lance noticed my arrival and turned around as I walked towards him. He observed me from tip to toe, from my styled hair to my branded suit and gold tie. Yes, I was forced to wear this.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

Lance laughed and replied, "I came here to give a last look at my successor, and well, you do look pretty weird in that get-up."

"Oh, shut up." I grumbled.

"You're a lot like him."

I paused and looked at Lance quizzically, wondering what he meant. Just tomorrow will be the day he was going to step down as Champion, and suddenly he's here saying incomprehensible things.

"I meant that you're a lot like Red."

Frowning, I responded, "No, I'm not."

Lance sighed and patted me on the shoulder, a smile on his face. This guy had been tough and winning against him earned me the seat I had aimed for since two years ago. I'm not lying that it took me two years to become Champion, twice the time taken for Red to be one, so I'm certainly not like him.

"I think you might just become the next Undefeated Champion."

"That's just a thought. And I don't plan to become something that has been taken." I muttered as I removed my tie, feeling suffocated from the piece of accessory. Indeed the two year journey had been extraordinary, and being a Champion sounds cool to me, but somehow I'm having second thoughts.

"Lance, if you had a choice, would you rather be a Champion, or a normal trainer?" I asked, and in return, the Dragon Master had a look of surprise. He removed his hand from my shoulder and seemed to be seriously considering the question. Finally after a few seconds, he replied,

"Normal."

"Why?"

Lance gave a bittersweet expression and beckoned me to sit on one of the chairs, although I declined immediately. He sat down while I hurriedly removed the uncomfortable jacket, feeling restricted by the formal wear. Then I stood before him, awaiting his answer.

"You know that I had participated twice in the Championships? I failed for the first one due to an incident, then the second one was because I was defeated by Red. Then he was gone and I was told to take over his place. Then after I became Champion, everything became dull."

"Dull?"

Lance shook his head and rose to his feet, his cape sweeping along. He was clearly going to exit this room and leave me hanging for answers. I wanted to say something, until he patted my shoulders again.

"You'll understand very soon, Champion. Or possibly the second Undefeated Champion."

The Dragon Master went pass me, his striking cape billowing behind him. His words struck something inside me, and then I turned around and shouted.

"Lance! I won't be the second!"

He halted his footsteps, possibly waiting for me to continue my sentence. And I'm thankful that he could listen to my declaration.

"I'll defeat Red, and become the only Undefeated Champion!"

* * *

After seeing Red being wheeled down the corridor by the hospital staff, I dropped to the floor on the spot. A passing nurse yelped and got all paranoid as she asked if I was alright. I wearily shook my head, telling her that I was fine and to leave me alone. The trip from Mt Silver to the largest hospital in Johto, which was in Ecruteak, had took a toll on my body. My limbs had turned into jelly from carrying Red's malnourished weight, palms blistering, scratches and bruises adorning my body. My skin felt sticky from sweat and was peeling from the dry cold back on the mountain. Panting, I managed to drag myself to a nearby chair to take a quick rest. Thinking back to the proclamation I said to Lance, it felt as if that goal might never be fulfilled. Red was dying, and if he never get well, it will be impossible for me to surpass him.

"Goddamn it..." I heaved as my head tilted upwards to face the ceiling, my fringe covering my eyes. I stayed like this for a few minutes, before I reminded myself that there were things left to do. Slowly, I pulled myself up and shuffled towards the nearby PC that leaned against the walls of the corridor.

Clicking the mouse a few times, I found the contact address to a certain place and within a minute, a bespectacled lady appeared on the screen. She gave a rather tired look at me, like she was accustomed to calls from random people.

"Yes, yes, the professor's busy, okay, I'm hanging up." She said nonchalently.

"Yes, yes, sorry, but I'm not a fan. This is Hibiki Ethan." I sighed. The lady gasped and apologized for her attitude, before she went off to inform the professor. It did not take long for the screen to display the face of Professor Oak, the person with the most authority on pokemon.

"Hi, Prof."

"Hello, Ethan, is this something about your pokedex?"

"Um, no, actually, I found Red."

The professor's eyes instantly widened, which became shiny like glass, and I pursed my lips.

"Prof, bring Red's mother and come to Ecruteak Hospital. His life's in danger."

A look of horror replaced the stoned expression, the multiple wrinkles on his face creasing in disbelief. Professor Oak's mouth opened and closed, and finally he croaked in a shaky voice, "What... happened?"

He said no more, as if he could not find the words. I tightened my fists and recounted the events on Mt Silver. The professor was rather unfocused, as his eyes glazed over multiple times during our conversation, and in the end he mustered three words.

"I'll go now."

Professor Oak picked himself up and suddenly, the PC lost connection. Before long, I switched off the PC and lumbered back. I took a glance at the empty aisles of the hospital, before I flopped back into my seat to continue resting.

I don't know how much time had passed since he laid on that hospital bed like a mummy, with his whole body covered in bandages. At my request, Red's identity was kept confidential, and Professor Oak forked his cash to afford a private ward. His return was top-secret, almost non-existent. This was the least I could do to fulfill the promise with Espeon.

I could vividly remember the wails and sobs of his mother, and the silent praying of the professor, both adults sitting on the chairs, their figures heart wrenching to look at. Then the doctor came out and announced his condition, and even I myself could have despaired upon hearing the news.

There was no way to tell whether Red will wake up. Probably never.

I don't know how the other two felt, although my emotions were probably in much more turmoil than them. Red's mother cried harder, while the professor went silent. As for me, my temper came like a shotgun. I felt my blood vessels throbbing, my head heating up, and in order for me to chill, I ran.

Along the aisles, out of the hospital, round Ecruteak and finally I ended up at nowhere. My body got lethargic, my wounds pricking me like thorns, my skin all sweaty all over again. Oh look, a herd of Stantlers, their obnoxiously large asses coming my way. My eyes darted left and right as I counted their numbers, which amounted to seven of them.

"Heh." I smirked, as I released Typhlosion. My pokemon roared, his presence shaking up the wild ones' nerves. He looked at me with fierce yet gentle eyes, awaiting battle commands and worried about my emotional state. Gritting my teeth, I yelled,

"Incinerate!"

In a matter of seconds, those asses were set on fire and the Stantlers fled for their lives. Yes, incinerate everything. Leave nothing left. I don't have anyone left to chase after. Then, I went down on all fours and banged the soil with my fists, while Typhlosion solemnly looked at me. I could not think. My body's just moving on its own. And I repeatedly yelled "damn" so many times that I lost count.

Even so, I still have my own way of venting my anger. I headed off to Mt Silver and trained up there. It took me a few days to cool down, before I went ahead with my normal lifestyle of trotting round the two regions. In the eyes of others, I must have appeared to be the "normal" Ethan, but in actuality, I felt empty inside. The skies looked grayer than ever, and the clouds seemed darker, wisps of it fleeting by, and as I sat atop Lapras and gazed at the sky, I felt as if I was in the middle of a vast space, with nowhere to go, my purpose abruptly torn away from me, and now the world became a whole lot miserable.

My world was now a thunderstorm without lightning.


	3. Chapter 3: For Whose Sake?

For Whose Sake?

 _"You don't amount to anything, boy."_

The cold, hard voice of a man burned into his mind. He gasped, feeling his whole body being strangled by something that threatened to kill.

 _"Enjoy your numbered days in here, that's your punishment for messing with my organisation!"_

Giovanni's laugh reverberated around him. He squirmed, his arms desperately reaching upwards. Four walls of metal loomed over him, the only exit high above, out of his reach.

The man smiled at him, a hideous, disgusting smile that made his insides turned.

The exit closed with a thud, and in that instant, the boy's surroundings dissolved into the darkness, and the darkness itself surrounded him, closing onto him, constricting him. He held his breath out of fear, his red eyes glistening with despair and terror.

 _"The youngest Champion in history!"_

 _"You did well, Red!"_

 _"He's undefeated! No one can stop him!"_

He felt his ankles cuffed by metal rings, his whole body feeling the weight of something heavy beneath him.

 _"All you have to do is fight challengers, obey the League's orders, and act like a Champion._

 _"What can he do?"_

 _"Are you sure he didn't cheat to win during the Championships?"_

 _"His eyes are creepy."_

 _"In the end, he's still a child."_

He felt himself sinking, deeper and deeper. He found himself suddenly chained to a throne, a crown placed atop his head, so over-sized and heavy, that his head throbbed in pain. Chains emerged from the darkness, binding him to the throne, trapping him. Strings were suddenly attached to his neck, his arms and he found himself limp and utterly controlled.

 _Like a puppet._

He thought he should scream, but instead, he gazed upwards, resignation written all over his face. Black ropes curled all over him, covering his torso like a snake circling around, and soon his whole body was wrapped up, leaving only a red eye visible amidst the darkness.

For whose sake has he been fighting for so long?

He closed his eyes.

Red had enough of screaming.

* * *

 _Red._

 _Red._

A voice called out, so strangely familiar.

It was that voice, that deep voice that had called him moments before he was attacked by the Golem.

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

Everything was dark.

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

He tasted the air, his dry taste buds straining to recognize any sort of familiarity of the place, but to no avail.

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

His right index finger twitched, the muscles stiff and painful to move.

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

His eyes flitted open, slowly. The darkness dissipated, and for a long while, Red stared at the ceiling, realizing how bright it was, and how inviting it felt to him. The nightmare was long, very, very long, probably the longest and hellish one yet.

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

His brain pieced everything carefully, and when the puzzle was completed, he finally registered that he was in a hospital, stuck in a bed, and god knows how long has it been ever since the day he got down the mountain.

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

 _Wait._

 _He got down the mountain._

His muscles got stiffer by the second, and his eyes went saucer-wide in shock. Meanwhile, a medical team had entered the ward, after receiving a signal that the patient had signs of consciousness and even moved. They started tending to him, asking him questions, all of which rushed at him like a tsunami trying to wash away his defenses. The doctor was now glancing at him and then at the monitor, wondering why the boy had no response when he was clearly awake. The nurses stared into his eyes, and a lump formed in his mouth when he realized that it has been more than two years since any human being had made eye contact with him. He gasped, shaking his head, his neck muscles numbing. The medical team yelped collectively, surprised at his actions, and following along, they conducted more visual checks on him, and when they decided he was indeed fully conscious, all of them breathed sighs of relief.

"Can you talk?" The doctor asked, and again, Red was swamped by his words. It was human words, language, verbal communication that seemed to overwhelm him and knock him in the head, telling the boy that "hey, you're back in society".

He opened his mouth, his taste buds dry, his throat parched, and he mustered simply two words,

"How… Long?"

The doctor paused, and after taking a cautious glance at his colleagues, he turned back, facing Red with a serious look. The man grabbed him firmly by the shoulder, as if trying to force him to lie on the bed, while he replied,

"You've been out for six months, Red."

* * *

Hello, Hibiki Ethan here.

Life had been normal for half a year. I'm not really complaining, since I've been making myself busy by floating on the sea with Lapras and exploring the Whirl Islands with much interest. It was the same for today. I was heading towards the mysterious little islands, where a certain Legendary was held at. Suddenly, my Pokégear vibrated, and I motioned Lapras to stop, and quickly took out the device.

"Hello?" I shouted over the crashing waves.

"Is this Hibiki Ethan?" A feminine voice said at the other end of the receiver.

"Yes!"

"...inform you... awake..."

"Sorry! Can you speak louder? The background is too noisy!"

"Champion Red is awake!"

I immediately commanded Lapras to return to shore at breakneck speed, the scenery whizzing by, the skies clearing up. Blue blanket, fluffy clouds. No gray sky, no lightning clouds, no grim rain pelting down. It felt weird, initially, when I realized that I was gazing up at a cheerful scenery, basking under warm but not glaring sunlight. The thunder was no longer resonating with the emptiness. For the first time in six months, a wave of happiness, gladness and excitement washed over me.

But when I was turned down to meet Red by the nurse, I flopped onto the ground, making a fuss out of it like a twelve year old kid, which I am.

"Aww come on, just a peek will do? Probably plus a nice greeting to him? I mean, I saved his life, you know?" I reasoned.

"No, means no, even if you're his savior, or the Johto Champion. He has declined to see anyone." The nurse said, arms akimbo.

"Even if it's his mother?"

Turning my head around, I saw Red's mother, Amanda Hilton, who walked up the aisle briskly. She was a poised and gentle lady in her forties, her figure average, her wavy and untamed black hair tied up loosely, many locks tangled and twisted. Yet her youthful face defied the laws of time, her sharp chin and pale complexion proving that she was still a beautiful woman. The nurse motioned her to wait, and she quickly entered the ward, sliding the door closed so swiftly that I failed to get my chance to catch a glimpse of him. Red's mother was soon invited into the ward, and as she headed towards the room, I tiptoed behind her, hoping that I can sneak inside.

"Nuh-uh." The nurse said, as her large hands easily picked me up and threw me aside immediately. "Not you."

I glared at her, wanting to appear more intimidating, yet she glared back fiercely, the sort of look that could eat someone whole, causing me to scuttle away like a frightful mouse. I ducked behind the corner of the aisle, and obediently sat in one of the seats lined up at the side. Occasionally, I peeked out, hoping that maybe I can sneak my way into Red's ward, but the stubborn nurse was always in the vicinity, her watchful eyes monitoring me like a hawk. Soon, I gave up and decided to simply wait for Red's mother to leave the ward so that I could get the chance to talk to her. For one, I've hardly spoken to her, and at most she delivered one or two words of thanks when she first came to the hospital while Red was in the operating theater.

I sighed, and willed myself to be patient, and so, I waited.

* * *

Red could not speak. It was as if his tongue was tied into a knot, paralyzed and incapable of doing its job. Or perhaps it had forgotten how to do it, like some crucial piece of data that was supposed to set it going was missing inside his brain. Or maybe a defensive mechanism of his body was activated the moment she entered, preventing him from trying to use the tongue's basic communicative function. He could only stare blankly at his mother, his brain trying to sort out the jumbled mess inside, as he attempted to understand how should he tackle this situation. He knew that just leaving a letter to his mother when he left that day two- no, three years ago, had been wrong, entirely wrong that he would periodically feel the guilt pricking his conscience. Even if he had phrased his words perfectly in that letter, that did not change the fact that he had left his mother on her own.

Just like what his father did.

Time crawled past him, as he continued to stare at his mother, wordless as he slowly picked up the little details of her face, something that he found himself doing subconsciously. The image of his lively mother seemed to be fading, as if the happiness was silently leaking out of her. It wasn't obvious, the change probably so insignificant that no one truly noticed.

But he did.

Subtle differences on her countenance told him many things. The faint eye bags beneath her brown eyes that only had that glimmer of light within. The soft wrinkles drawn between her brows, the very slight paleness coloring her cheeks. Her callused hands that seemed to be much more bony. It wasn't only Time that made her older, he himself had made her older. The guilt stabbed him, splitting his heart into two the more he realised what he had done. Three years, and that was how long she had kept up the mask. The lines of weariness seemed to melt onto her face bit by bit. The mask that showed that she was fine, even when her only child left, leaving her alone inside an empty house. He himself had seen that mask when he was younger. The mask that hid the hurt, the loneliness, and the pain when his father left.

And yet he made her wear the same mask. Again.

No matter how accepting and gentle his mother was, he shouldn't have left her, with only a single piece of paper.

He thought he should say something, anything at all.

 _I'm sorry for everything I did._

But these words were not registered to his tongue that laid stoned inside his mouth. He helplessly stared at his mother, wondering what she would say.

Suddenly, she dropped her belongings onto the ground, nearly flying towards him, and he squeezed his eyes shut, preparing himself for a whirlwind of angry sobs and cries of how unfilial of a son he was.

Until her arms grabbed round his shoulders, bringing into a tight embrace. He gasped, breathing in the lavender perfume of his mother, her black locks tickling his neck. There was this inexplicable warmth that welled up in his chest as he was locked into a hug, so foreign and long forgotten.

"Welcome home, Red."

It came like a hushed, gentle and soothing breeze, her voice chasing away his defenses. Breaking away the masks he had been wearing. He sucked in a little air, realizing that in front of his mother, he need not wear these masks.

For once, he felt as though all the chains, all the strings, and all the ropes had come undone.

He need not be a Champion, he need not be Undefeated, he need not be a Trainer.

He was just... Red.

Tears trickled down his cheeks without reservation. Three years worth of missing her, three years worth of solitude, three years worth of tears poured out, as his arms feebly reached out for his mother's back desperately, like he had finally discovered a lifeline after drifting in the sea of darkness for eternity. Even that voice, that all so familiar yet mysterious voice that had woken him up from the nightmare seemed almost encouraging, yet painfully ancient that he thought otherwise. The masks were gone, and all that left was Red, who shrunk into a vulnerable boy, holding onto the lifeline, and finally his tongue was untied, loose and free as he murmured one word,

"Mum..."

Then following after, both mother and son never let each other go, as Red continued to cry out.

It was as if the repeat button was played, as he continued muttering the word, that one lifeline, until everything faded into a massive pool of tears, regret and lastly, happiness.

"... I'm sorry."

* * *

I gingerly slid the ward door open, as I felt the annoyed stare of the nurse at my back. I turned around, stuck my tongue out and without waiting for her to react, I closed the door shut.

Red's mother had kindly let me in to my absolute joy. I thanked her, and she simply smiled, before she said, "He's not really a talker, but I hope you can get along well with my son."

I eagerly nodded my head, and currently I was in close proximity to the former Champion. I only had five minutes till the end of the visiting hours, and without further ado, I pounced onto the older boy, whose eyes widened in surprise.

"Hi Red! I'm Ethan!" I cheerily introduced myself. "How are you feeling? Fine? I guess you are! You know, we've been awfully worried about you, and oh! I saw your team the other day at Professor Oak's lab and they were amazing! How did you raise them? Any tips to share? Oh! And I want to battle you! When are you free?"

He froze, and it was then I realize I had been too enthusiastic. I cleared my throat. Three more minutes.

"Sorry," I muttered sheepishly. "I lost control."

Red blinked, before he shook his head. An awkward silence fell between us, and the time ticked by. There was barely one minute left, and my throat was awfully dry as I racked my brain to think up of anything to ask him.

"... Thank you...," He suddenly uttered. "For saving me..."

I grinned, and replied, "No problem!"

Thirty seconds.

And I finally remembered what I needed to tell him, and at the next instant I started speaking really quickly.

"Green Oak is coming tomorrow."

I had actually called the Gym Leader, who was away from his gym yet again, and after I asked him to visit Red, he had unexpectedly answered an "Okay, tomorrow." when usually he would start arguing with me for no particular reason.

"... I see.." said Red, who nodded. And before I could say anything else, the ward door was open, the nurse standing there, intimidating-looking.

"Visiting hours are over," She bellowed as she placed her hands on her hips. I gulped nervously, and quick steps, I headed towards the door.

"... Let's battle some day..."

I swerved my head back and stared at him with wide eyes, but the next instant, the door was closed. I blinked my eyes incredulously. But soon, I was nagged by the nasty nurse to leave immediately, and reluctantly, I walked down the corridor, all the while, having a bubbling excitement in my chest.


	4. Chapter 4: Complementary Contradictory

Complementary or Contradictory

It all started when the clashing colors met. No one ever thought that the colors of red and green would ever mix, and it nearly never did. But then again, it was almost a miracle that the two even met, and certainly a miracle that the two even became friends, although a bigger part as being rivals. The two were of the same age, same height, and the same friendless situation.

Yes, Green had his doting sister Daisy, but her genius of a brother had little to no friends. This was partly due to the tiny population of Pallet Town, and mostly due to his arrogant attitude, despite him being only a mere five year old child. Meanwhile Daisy was more inclined towards the sciences and research, and had started helping her grandfather in the Pokémon lab at the tender age of 11, but her cheeky younger brother often disappeared to who knows where, which worried the sister to no end.

Finally, someone that could halt that cheeky kid from disappearing everyday was none other than their new neighbors. Mrs Hilton had visited all the households in the small town, which amounted to no more than 10, introducing herself and her son who was all bashful and quiet. When the mother and son duo had entered the lab, one look at the new kid made Daisy all so very excited, her eyes viewing the boy as a new playmate for her brother. That very afternoon, she had dashed back home, all giddy and tired, as she announced the arrival of the neighbors. Daisy panted, awaiting a delightful cry that never came as her brother just replied, "I don't like his eyes."

And with that, Green did not bother to take another glance at his clueless sister as he climbed the stairs to return into his bedroom. Just a half hour ago, he had been playing with a small ladybug, which had an alarming splash of crimson on its back. It scuttled hurriedly on the outer walls of the house as it tried to escape from the small twig the human boy had been waving around. When the bug disappeared, Green grumbled, and had turned to look out at the street beneath his window. There were not many things to see in this boring and bland town and so, when an unfamiliar lady holding onto her son walked along the cemented road, it caught Green's attention as he observed the duo.

He was quite surprised when he realized the child was someone of the same age, and stared at him curiously. But whenthe child gazed upwards, his red eyes locked onto his brown ones. At that instant, all oxygen seemed to be snatched away from Green's lungs as he stared at those beautiful rubies. It was an eye colour he had never seen before, and it sent an inexplicable sense of dislike throughout his entire body. Immediately after, Green had slid back into his room and shut the curtains with much force, almost like a terrified wild animal.

The child knew that he did not like the new boy after that eye to eye contact.

He really did not like those red eyes.

Because those were eyes that signified that the new boy was special, and definitely as special as Green.

Having no parents, Green strive to be the best, he was intelligent, quick-thinking, and was talented in training Pokémon. He did not want to let his esteemed grandfather down, neither did he wanted to worry his sister. All he wanted was to be not just good, but excellent. Spell-bounded by the various Pokémon matches he saw on TV, he started having the Champion mindset, and bugged his grandfather to properly give him a Pokémon to call his own. His life was going to smooth-sailing, and he was sure of it.

Until that boy appeared.

Desperate Daisy had dragged her reluctant brother to their new neighbor's house, in an attempt for him to make friends. Mrs Hilton was all for the idea, cleaning the house all spick and span, sincerely hoping that the two opposites could have an amiable relationship. And for the second time in one week, the two boys locked eyes again. Neither knew each other's name, however both knew that neither complemented each other like two peas in a pod. And when the two were pressured into introductions, Green had mumbled his name much while Red muttered his name almost inaudibly. Upon hearing each other's name, the two confirmed that indeed, it would be terribly difficult for them to get along.

The colors of red and green were so contradictory and contrasting, with the two on the opposite sides of the color wheel. Their relationship went off all unbalanced and uncertain, with their first meeting ending off with a fistfight, their dislike for each other brewing constantly. And if nothing could have gone worse, Green went so far as to proclaim himself as Red's eternal rival, much to the latter's chagrin.

Interestingly, these two bright colors mixed for once, one year after their first encounter. Both were assigned a Rattata each to be trained for a battle by none other than Professor Oak himself (in a bid to improve their relationship, and to reduce the amount of bruises and cuts caused by their reckless fights). They were both warned that if not even one of their Rattatas could win a battle against the Professor's Pidgey, the two children were banned from entering their only place of interest in the whole entirety of Pallet Town: the lab.

And so, the two were forced to comply with his grandfather's wishes and the two came to a "truce". They started making plans to train together, and of course, neither could really agree with each other, and everything about the truce were for naught, when both decided to train by themselves.

Finally, when their test date arrived, the two shot daggers at each other as they walked towards the lab, with Green snorting a "hmph" towards Red every few seconds. They pushed each other as both started arguing who should enter through the lab doors first, and bickered like kids as they were. Facing the six year old children, Oak could only give a tired groan as he heard Green giving out another "hmph" directed at Red, who shook his head irritably in reply.

Oak then hurried the two kids to the back of the lab, where a battle arena was drawn in white chalk on the ground. Green quickly raised his hand and announced that he would be going first, in which Red simply shook his head once more. After a small signal by Red, grandfather and grandson faced off. During that time, they did not have any gauge of how strong each other Pokémon were, but Green's Rattata had unique moves which somehow surprised Oak. The weathered old man did not falter one bit when the rat charged in with another Hyper Fang, as he commanded his Pidgey to use Peck at least 5 times, and soon the purple ratty Pokémon was jabbed in places, finally fainting after the multiple attacks. Disappointed at his own performance, Green gave a silent moan and gave Red an eyeful, before brushing the boy's shoulder, while scoffing at the boy. Red narrowed his eyes, before he quietly stepped up before Professor Oak and calmly let out his Rattata, who quivered a little for its first battle, its huge teeth chattering as it squeaked nervously.

"Rattata, Quick Attack."

His Rattata immediately weaved around, and dealt a pretty fast attack, taking Professor Oak off guard. Red did not just stop there, he commanded a few more quick attacks, but the more experienced Pidgey counter-attacked, and soon the battle lasted no longer than the battle between Green and Oak.

When he was given the cold and bitter stares by both boys, the old professor gulped, and finally gave in. The children were given just one more chance to aim for victory, with the deadline just tomorrow. Green gave a hurrah, and quickly scuttled somewhere else to train, while Red stayed put, biting his lips tight, aware that nothing would change and the results would just be repeated again the next day. The boy stared at the professor, who chuckled merrily.

"How about a little mix?" He said, and left, leaving the boy confused. After contemplating for a few minutes, and idea popped into his head. Red then shuffled off to find the other boy.

The next day, a slight difference was spotted by Oak as he studied the two boys from afar. Green was not doing his usual snorting, and neither was Red having that anti-social trudging of his. Determined expressions unlike children drawn on their faces, their every step forward resolute. Oak had thought that Green would have insisted on going first, but instead Red grabbed a pokeball out and stepped forward.

This time, Daisy the referee signaled the start of the battle, and Red threw his pokeball with a flick of his wrist, and a Rattata leaped out with a flashing light. Surprisingly, this Rattata was not Red's pokemon.

Rather, it belonged to Green.

As he recalled yesterday's events that followed after the match, Green could not help but feel uncomfortable. Red had asked so seriously, almost demanding to switch their pokemon, and when he had asked him for the reason, his rival had just brushed him off with an annoyed grumble. Not going down with a fight, Green had firmly refused to exchange their Rattatas, resulting in Red to surrender, and the two boys sealed the deal really quickly after Green had finally understood his intentions.

Since Green's Rattata had a higher level, and Red might stand a chance if he used his rival's pokemon

Well, maybe it might work, but Green just did not really like the idea of cooperation. It felt unnatural and funny, for he was still a little skeptical toward Red's explanation. He just did not understood the part about bringing out the best in each other. Even so, he willed himself to just be a little nicer and leave everything to his rival. Meanwhile, Red sent out his first command. Strangely, his voice was stronger, unlike the normal silent voice his rival always had. It was like Red was getting all pumped up.

"Rattata, charge in and use Quick Attack."

In a similar fashion as yesterday's, the rat weaved through and hit hard onto Pidgey, much to Green's disappointment. Isn't this just the same exact stuff that he did yesterday?

"Pidgey, Gust!"

"Rattata, get away!"

And to Green's surprise, Red's voice grew urgent, and what finally shocked him was the next battle command.

"Use Hyper Fang next!"

The purple pokemon jumped backwards, barely missing the strong wind attack. And once the wind died down, his paws channeled energy, and soon his whole body propelled forward, his strong teeth cutting the bird pretty badly.

"Rattata, leer! Then Hyper Fang once more!" The urgent voice of Red taking over, making the atmosphere all tense.

Professor Oak was also surprised at the rat's multiple attacks that he stood rigid. It was a golden chance and certainly the Rattata wasted no time to obey Red's every command, as his eyes glinted menacingly, leering at the Pidgey, who scooted a few steps away, its defense dropping as a result. The rat zoomed towards the still in shock bird, and soon dealt another Hyper Fang onto his opponent.

Pidgey lumbered backwards, all weak from the unexpected attacks, and after spinning on the spot for a few seconds, it collapsed and fainted. Meanwhile, Green was just gaping, his mouth literally hanging open. Oak was also clapping his hands in admiration, nodding in approval.

Green gasped, realizing what Red had meant about bringing out the best in the other, plus the bitter truth that Red was indeed better in battling. He started sulking, his face all grim as he gritted his teeth. Oak walked over to the two, and beckoned Green to come over.

"Now, how was that little experience?" He asked as his eyes twinkled.

"He's better than me, right, Gramps?" Green pointed at his rival, feeling all so sour. Oak smiled and ruffled his grandson's stuck up hair, in which the latter pushed away the old man's hand, annoyed.

"I won't say that. Clearly, the two of you are on equal terms!" Oak chuckled. "Green, you are great in training Pokémon, and you have the potential to battle well. Red, on the other hand, does have talent in battling, but he pale in comparison to Green in terms of training, and see the difference in your Rattatas? Green's Pokémon was of a higher level and learnt even stronger moves than Red's. It is necessary that the both of you have more experience." As he said all these words, Red and Green beamed proudly, glad that they were both praised by the old professor.

"Don't you think the two of you would make the great duo? It's high time for you two to be better friends with ea-"

"No way in Arceus! You've gotta be kidding me!"

"... I'm never... working with.. him again..."

And the two stomped off, still bumping each other violently and could have almost broke into another fistfight, had not Daisy dragged them apart by their collars. While Oak face-palmed himself, tired of this nonsense. Just when he thought they could be friends, this happens. But never would he thought that in fact, that cooperation had somehow improved their relationship. By they were seven, they do still fight, although the occurrence was reduced. The two talked a lot more, mostly about Pokémon, sharing who was their favorite trainer, the best team combination and about leaving on a journey.

Finally, what incurred their heated rivalry was the League Championship, which was only held when there is no current Champion, therefore it was the platform to pick the strongest trainer. It was the official season for people to fight against each other to gain the Champion title, and even Gym Leaders and Elites could take part to get hold of the title. The second to fifth place will have the chance to be one of the famous Elite Four, and so the current Elites must take part, first, to have the chance to get the Champion title, second, to hold on to their current titles.

For this season, fierce battles ensued in every match, with Lance having the highest chance of becoming Champion, and the eyes of the two children were glued onto the TV screen. They did not know what really happened, for the announcer was suddenly saying, "As of the end of this League Championship, it has been decided that there will be no Champion this year!"

The boys were all in shock, not believing their ears. For almost ten years, there had been no Champion crowned, with the previous Champion covered in secrets. If there was no Champion this time, when will there be one? Even the announcer was addressing this problem as his face inched closer from inside of the screen, the mic almost touching his lips as he yelled.

"Who will be the Champion? Aspiring trainers! Will you be next? Look forward for the next League Championship!" Then the advertisements came along, with the whole competition ending on the spot, leaving the two boys wordless. The Championship was only held every two to four years until a new Champion emerges, and within Green's mind, he started thinking.

"Red," He began, prompting Red to turn and face the other boy.

"Gramps told me he created a prototype of a device, probably it would be done by the time we are ten. He told me he will be giving us one each."

"And when that time comes, I'm going to aim for Champion."

Red did not even blink, he had anticipated this kind of proclamation from his friend for a long time.

"Don't you ever think I forgot what happened two years ago. It still stinks to know that you're better than me at battling." Green breathed, his eyes dimming. Red smiled, as he held his fist out.

"... Green, let's compete for the title of Champion..." The young boy said.

"Hmph," Green grinned, as he fist-bumped the other boy's fist. "I bet you'll fail, really badly."

"..." Red sighed, but returned an exasperated smile, the boy clearly used to his childhood friend's arrogant attitude.

Immediately the next day after the two's reinstatement of their status as rivals, Green had dyed his hair. And now, those red eyes were still staring at that alarming light brown hair of his. Red could only look at him, dumbfounded. Their eyes met, no words exchanged. After a long silence, the one who broke it was none other than the visitor himself.

"Can't believe this coward sitting on a hospital bed could actually beat me." The trainer sighed.

Red flinched upon hearing his words. It was true, Red had defeated Green moments after the latter become the champion, and got hold of the title. Basically, Green was a former champion. For a few hours, before the title was relinquished to Red.

"Let's go," His rival muttered. Surprised at his words, Red just stared at him blankly. Green clicked his tongue, before tilting his head sideways, his eye-catching hair whipping in that motion as he gestured towards the door. Familiar with his antics, Red finally understood that his rival meant that they needed to talk outside

Red nodded silently before picking himself up, his legs trembling slightly. It had been a long time since he had walked on his own two feet and suddenly, the nerves in his legs lost connection. Red felt himself falling towards the concrete before a pair of arms supported him, his nose a few inches away from the cold grey floor. Green narrowed his eyes as he looked at the friend he had once condescended on.

"You… You're fine right?" He said, concerned.

In reply, Red just gave a weak nod.

"Let's just stay here then."

"...No… I'll… walk."

Green did not deny him as he carefully brought Red out of the room, not noticing a smile forming on his own face.

There it is.

The fire of the Undefeated Champion was there, burning, no, blazing. Now that he thought about it, this kid had grown a lot, almost becoming a completely different person. When he had disappeared, Green had somehow guessed that his reckless rival had sent himself tumbling in the largest and most dangerous mountain in the whole of Kanto, but of course, with his duties as the Gym Leader, the boy did not have the time to even bother finding him. Supporting Red's weakened body made him seriously wonder how in Arceus could this boy get crushed by a Golem. Then again, considering his habit of wandering around, Green could not really question much, and he could only feel thankful towards Ethan, that kid who always annoy him to no end, for finding this guy in time.

The two trudged along the aisle, with Red mustering almost all his strength just trying to take a step forward. Soon, they exited via a backdoor and the patient found himself in the middle of a garden. Red inhaled the fresh air, revitalized.

As the two of them sat down on a bench, a passing group of nurses took a look at them, whispered among themselves, some blushing a little when they took another glance at the two teenagers, attracted by their dashing looks, while a few others had realized who Green was.

The Viridian City Gym Leader.

They chatted idly, not caring about the many stares of the female nurses going about. Some of the younger nurses would have approach Green to get a handshake or autograph, had not the head nurse grunted disapprovingly at them. Soon, the two were left alone talking when the nurses were finally dragged back to work.

"So," Green began. "What had you been doing atop that freakish mountain?"

"..."

Green sighed, ruffling his hair. "Quiet as ever, huh?" He muttered, before he saw the blank expression on Red's face.

"By the way, there's a new type of Pokédex. The National Pokédex."

And Red just stared at him, not a word entering his head. Green gave another tired sigh, before he answered, "Let me brief you on stuff first."

Before Red could even buckle up, Green started firing information at him like a bullet train, and it took the confused boy almost ten minutes to properly process the everything and recover from the damage of the overloaded train. The ride left him all dizzy and scared of what happened within his three years of absence.

Professor Oak and some of his other friends had actually commercialized the Pokedex, ultimately, combining all Pokémon from all six core regions, creating the National Pokedex, with 721 Pokémon, in which a total of 50 legendary Pokémon were waiting to be filed inside. Only trainers approved by Professor Oak himself were allowed to receive one.

"I have one too." Green said as he waved the red device in his hand.

It was literally mind-blowing, and Red's head started to hurt, when he realized the 151 Kanto pokedex pages he filled was just a measly one-fifth of all the pokemon in the world.

Pokemon aside, Trainers were also overloading. Apparently, after Red retired, Agatha and Lorelei followed suit and were replaced by new people called Karen and Will. Lance also became the default champion due to the higher ups being tired of leaving the seat empty, with Fuchsia City's Gym Leader Koga replacing the Dragon Master among the Elite Four. For the Gym Leaders, Koga's daughter has replaced him.

Around two years back, Johto and Kanto joined hands and started sharing Elite Fours and Champion, where another 8 Gym Leaders were added. Soon, more and more talented trainers started popping out more frequently. And one of the Johto natives had actually took hold of that grand title of Champion, in which Lance had gracefully passed it on, before the man himself started travelling to the other regions.

And to Red's absolute surprise, this Johto native was none other than Ethan.

And apparently, immediately after Red's retirement, the higher ups abolished the system of challengers battling the Champion everyday. Instead, the fight for Champion was four days a week, each day limiting only seven challengers. It was a fairly sudden change, and created a stir for a while, but after the little ruckus died down, the League operated as per normal.

"So, what do you plan to do now?"

Red pursed his lips, his red eyes glazed. He mouthed wordlessly, before swallowing a ton of saliva. Then he gave his reply, even more awkward than ever.

"... Find a job... and... live... on... in... Pallet..."

That very answer jerked Green's nerves, his veins almost popping out of his arms as he grabbed his friend's collar violently, all apprehensive. Green's mind started overheating, just all furious at the cowardly answer of the boy that defeated him.

"Red...what are you? Just what are you now?! A shadow of your former self?"

Red felt the hot breath of his rival, the agitated teen glaring at him with scary eyes.

"The Red I knew would get out there! Get out into the world! And prove to cocky bastards like me that he's strong!"

Green did not loosen his grip even a little as he yelled, almost bursting the ears of his rival. Red blinked, as his whole body froze momentarily, brain short-circuited. After a long minute, Red, feeling helpless, muttered words under his breath, just audible enough for Green to hear.

"I've changed... Everyone changes..."

He was afraid, afraid of how things have changed after three years.

"But does that stop you from moving on?" Rebuked Green.

The trainer clenched his fists, knowing that he has to pick himself up, and face this fear.

"Never."

* * *

Green swung the ward door open, before while guiding Red towards the hospital bed. The boy just felt so tired, after spending so much energy in walking and talking, and he literally slammed himself onto the brick hard sheets of the bed, which would never do a good job at relieving his lethargy. Seeing that his friend seriously needed sleep,

"Well then, I'll need to go back to the gym. I've been away for too long. So you'll just take your time to recuperate, and then when you're all healed, you'll be leaving again right?"

"... I guess…"

Green turned around, ready to leave, when he jerked his footsteps to a stop, suddenly reminded of something.

"By the way,"Green smiled. "I dare you to conquer the Johto region in one month."

One month was a short time, and the Gym Leader smirked, looking smug. But to his surprise, the Undefeated Champion's originally half-dead eyes lit up like a bright red lantern.

"Two weeks." Red gave a rare grin. Then reiterating his point, he announced once more, "Two weeks, I'll be done."

Without even doubting his words, Green just returned a satisfied chuckle, before he replied, "Deal."

He briskly walked towards the door, and as his figure framed the doorway, the Gym Leader looked back again, wanting to say a few more words.

"You should do something about your communication skills while you're at it. You're way too awkward."

"..." Red narrowed his eyes, before he merely replied, "I'll try…"

"Smell ya later!"

Green's signature farewell words, and Red smiled, noting how much he had missed the familiar phrase.

His friend and rival then waved his hand, that hair of his swaying as he exited the room. The door swung shut, and Red started staring at the empty space before him. A huge load had finally been lifted off his shoulders.

 _It's time._

That was all he remembered before he was attacked by the Golem. Red stared at his hand, wondering where the voice had came from, but he could not quite pinpoint any distinct memory where he had heard it. He laid flat on his bed and soon, he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Two months passed by like a blur.

His mother would come by everyday, and he was thankful for that. They shared stories, and during those times, it was when Red slowly felt like he was becoming more human once again, as he basked under the warmth of his mother.

He saw Green a couple more times and he tried to catch up with technology during his spare time. Green had also reported his return to the League. Thankfully, the League had decided to keep his return top-secret, and had also allowed him to do what he wanted.

As for Ethan, the boy had been quite a busy little Champion, and never had the time to visit Red ever since that particular visit.

Red gazed at the scenery outside his ward. A lot of interesting things had happened during his absence. And tomorrow was the day that he would be discharged from the hospital.

And for some reason, he was excited. And getting exceedingly worried. He would liked to start a brand new journey in the Johto Region, but he was at loss. For he did not know how he should tell her his plans.

His mother had always been a thoughtful parent, and had brought him up all by herself, so it would be wrong for him to continue adventuring as he liked. But Red just wanted to go out there like what Green had said.

A knock on the door brought Red back to his senses. A medic walked into the room gingerly and nervously gazed at the former Champion.

"Excuse me Mr. Re… no I mean… Mr. Champion, there's a letter from your mother."

"Red... is fine, Mister."

The medic was even more uncomfortable when such a big-shot was speaking to him so courteously. He hurriedly placed the letter on the side-table and rushed out, earning a sigh from Red. The teenager then retrieved the brown envelope from the bedside table, tore it open, and took out the paper.

He started reading:

 _Dear Red,_

 _I'm sorry for being unable to be with you on the day you're getting discharged. It hurts me that this is the only way for me to speak about the very important things I've kept in my heart for so long._

 _You've most likely decided on carrying on your adventure, and you're probably worrying about how should you convey your intentions to me._

 _I've already told Professor Oak that you are to be sent to New Bark Town, where one of his acquaintance will guide you. You will be able to start your journey from there onwards. I've also prepared your luggage. There are sets of toiletries that can last you for months and new clothes. Hopefully they fit._

 _I've bought a new cap for you too! And it is the same old red color that you love._

 _I know that for past few years, you've been struggling. My greatest weakness was my inability to share your troubles, and my greatest regret was to be unable to love you for all the days you have disappeared from my life. I'm a failure as a mother._

 _I could have tried to find you, but I didn't. I gave up, just like how I did with your father._

 _Let me talk about your father, my lover. We've hardly talked about him, and I thank you for being so considerate about this touchy subject. And yet, I wished I had talked to you more about him, and share more of my own troubles with you. I had been thinking: if I had told you about your father, maybe, just maybe, you wouldn't have left._

 _But you're back here again, and I will tell you. Everything._

 _Our love story was not exactly a pretty one. I was from a rich family in Hoenn, and your grandfather was strict and money minded. He insisted about me getting married to a man with high prospects. I refused. I disliked everything regarding the wealth of others, and was recalcitrant. I was a headache to my parents, but since I was the only pathway to a continuous prosperity my father wanted to possess, he tolerated my rampant defiance._

 _Then one late night, I was out strolling, and that was when i met your father. He asked for directions. And I told him where to go. Then, I asked him if he could come back. A silly question, but I needed the answer._

 _He did not reply, but in the end, he still came back. We would chat in low voices, about many things, and I would look forward to his next visit._

 _Your father was a wandering trainer, and referred to himself as Lelto. I was aware that it was not his real name, but I did not mind. It was already apparent that we were having a forbidden love like that in Romeo and Juliet. Well, I digress._

 _Your grandfather must have noticed my obvious change in behaviour, and started asking for answers. Despite my efforts to avoid getting caught, the truth was exposed and it did not take long for me to be locked up in my own room. This went on for days, and I was absolutely powerless; my own pokemon was taken away, preventing me from breaking out of the place. The windows were fortified with bars and worse still, there were guards all around me 24/7. I was worried for your father, for my pokemon and for my freedom._

 _Then he came. How he got past all of those stiff bodyguards, I had no idea. He came like a storm, devastating the house and I was whisked away all of a sudden. He never told me how he did it, and neither did he show me any of his pokemon._

 _He told me that we could live in Kanto. And so I eloped with your father._

 _So we settled down in One Island, had you and lived in bliss. Until he left five months later._

 _Not a word, not a note, not anything. I did not understand at all. I went on a frantic search, but none of the neighbours knew where he went. I grew increasingly dejected, and gave up soon after._

 _After the two of us moved to Pallet Town, the rest was history._

 _So now here I am, asking for a favour. Please, find your father. I may be asking too much, but for once, I don't want to live the rest of my life without seeing him once again. Enclosed in the letter is his picture._

 _Honey, continue your adventure, live your life for yourself. We won't meet for some time. Weeks? Months? Years? Everything in the future is unpredictable. You will once again be moving forward, alone, and it pains me to be unable to stay by your side physically during your travels. Be brave and press on. Cry when you want to. Laugh when you want to. Be angry when you want to. Emotions are a fickle thing. And when you need me, just read this letter, or call me with the Xtransceiver, because I will always be with you._

 _Loving you forever,_

 _Mum._

The last few words were smudged. Then he realized his own blobs of tears were dripping down, right onto the paper, smudging the words even more. His hands trembled as he found the the faded picture he chanced upon so many years ago in his mother's study. At that instant, he winced as he felt his chest tightened, his throat getting sore and numb.

"..."

Gulping in air, the boy wiped his tears away, leaving a sticky mess on his face. Finally he managed to mumble two audible words.

"...Thanks...Mum…"

* * *

 **"Orange" lyrics:**

 **The fact that I laughed in a world you were in,**

 **The fact that you resented the future that you saw,**

 **Your voice, warmth, attitude, everything you loved…**

 **At a town near the ocean, along tracks rusted red,**

 **The two lied, "We're happy"**

 **Their disheveled smiling faces, connected hands**

 **A faraway island, the morning glow**

 **The things about you, who I can't love**

 **The things about a weak crying me as I am attracted**

 **That there won't be any change, after all, it's special**

 **Days when we forgave each other, too**

 **That there won't be a tomorrow for the two of us anymore**

 **Just always. Yes, always. Let's hide it.**

 **The only one which will reach you, who will be left behind**

 **Even now, I'm searching for.**

 **"Are you doing well?" "Has your smile withered away?"**

 **"Are you deeply, deeply in love with someone else?"**

 **For the days with you that I knew would never come,**

 **I locked away that wish...**


	5. Chapter 5: New Bark

New Bark

Red sat at the backseat of the car, solemnly gazing out of the window, while Professor Oak was turning the steering wheel, whistling a small little upbeat tune.

The boy gave a sigh and patted his own new cap that his mother had bought him, which was all new and nice, with the exact same design as his old and fraying one. Red then felt for his bag, retrieving his pokeballs. He missed them terribly after months of getting stuck inside the hospital, and he did not want to wait another second to release them from their red-white capsules.

"Red! Look, we're reaching!"

The bubbly professor was pointing towards a town where houses with green roofs stood high and prominent. And this was the place where he will stay for just one night, before he set off on his journey in Johto. The car then entered the place and stopped outside a big, all white building, with an unknown man waiting outside of it.

The man wore a white lab coat, and had pieces of paper stuck in almost every corner of his body. His turnip looking head only had a bountiful patch of hair at the very top, and the round rimmed glasses made him looked well-read and intelligent. Evidently, a pokemon professor.

Professor Oak clambered out of his driver seat and rushed to meet the stranger. The two men conversed for a bit, both looking extremely pleased. Then Professor Oak turned and gestured Red to get out of the car, in which he reluctantly opened the door and stepped out.

"Elm, allow me introduce. This is Red, the one who helped me complete the Kanto pokedex!" The Professor beamed as he spoke those words. The professor named Elm stumbled forward. Looking flustered, he gripped Red's hand firmly and said.

"Nice to meet you, Red."

They exchanged pleasantries, and before long, the two professors got back to their own conversation about new scientific discoveries and theories that Red himself could not quite comprehend.

Red was granted access to the Pokémon ranch behind the lab, and the moment he stepped into the green field, he eagerly took out his six Pokéballs, letting out his whole team immediately. Everyone, finally reunited after so long, started pressing Red flat onto the ground. The trainer, amidst the crushing hugs, observed that all of them looked vibrant and well-groomed, which made him wonder just what did the assistants at Professor Oak's lab did to them.

Speaking about assistants, there were plenty of them examining him and his team from afar. Red tried to shake off the uncomfortable feeling, while Pikachu noticed his obvious discomfort, as he nudged his trainer.

"Pika?"

The furry mouse then ran up his trainer's back and settled himself on the two broad shoulders he had missed sitting on, before poking the human's soft cheeks, and then proceeding to nibble Red's ears for fun. Espeon, on the other hand, attempted to scramble up his back but her rather long body had trouble placing herself at the right position. The Eeveelution constantly slid back to the ground and she grumbled in jealousy at the electric rodent that squeaked heartily. Giving a sigh, the female pokemon swished her split tail gracefully, before crossing her forelimbs and settling herself down on the soft grass of the well-trimmed ranch.

Meanwhile, Charizard was just circling around the boy nimbly, his flamed tail burning parts of the lawn.

 _Charizard, your tail._ Blastoise grumbled, as the water type Pokémon doused out the harmless fire. The awoken Snorlax started scratching his belly as he yawned, before falling asleep the next second.

Meanwhile, Venusaur approached his trainer, and he crouched down, scratching his rough head against his trainer, who smiled and patted the grass type.

Suddenly, a squeak from the electric mouse caused Red to let out a long groan as he felt the presence of someone approaching from behind, who was most likely one of the assistants who had been observing them.

He whispered to his team slowly about the situation and they all nodded their heads furiously. He then stood up abruptly, surprising the nosy assistant who froze in his tracks. Without warning, Red returned all of his Pokémon, except for Pikachu, back to their pokeballs. The assistant's face fell, looking rather disappointed, but Red took no notice of that as he strode back into the lab, barely escaping from the situation.

Meanwhile, Red glanced at the homely interior of the lab, which was nicely furnished. He had heard from Professor Oak himself that Professor Elm lived within the lab itself, along with his family, thus making it no surprise that the white building appeared humongous from the outside. And within, the two professors sat comfortably in their chairs, engrossed in their conversation.

Rather tired of waiting, Red walked towards the professors and stood there, in which the two older men noticed him.

"...Where's… my… room?" Red asked.

His fingers interlacing behind his back, the boy felt impossibly awkward before these two Pokémon Professor. Meanwhile, Elm gazed from left to right, and as if he was reminded of something, he pointed towards the ceiling.

"It's upstairs in the guest room." He answered.

Red halted his breath. His mind told him to give his thanks to the professor. But his lack of human conversations atop Mt. Silver left him stunned, his lips sealed shut. Professor Elm raised his brow, curious about the former Champion's odd behavior, but he soon shrugged his shoulders and got ready to continue the conversation with the esteemed Professor Oak.

"...Than-"

The boy spoke again, much to Elm's surprise.

"-k...you"

Professor Elm gazed at the trainer's figure as he ascended the stairs as he gave a warm smile, rather amused by the boy's awkward behavior.

He supposed that in the end, the Undefeated Champion is still a human.

* * *

"Pika pika!" The pokemon squealed as he landed onto the smooth mahogany wood flooring on all four paws, and started circling round the room in glee, excited about their short stay in this new place. The wood creaked slightly. The bed was simple and of a dull gray colour, and the teenager sat on it, feeling quite content with it while giving out a satisfied sigh. He stood up to look through his stuff, but before he could do so, someone rapped on the door. Red went alert instantly, expecting the door to be opened. However, the door remained shut.

"My da- Professor Elm wants you downstairs."

A girl's voice came from outside, which sounded sounded forced, as if she herself was not accustomed to speaking politely. A few seconds later, it did not seemed like there was any movement outside, hinting that the girl had left. Red then snatched up his red cap, and covered his dark ebony hair. He pulled the cap down as much as he could, not at all willing to experience eyes staring at him curiously again. He then signaled Pikachu to come along and immediately the furry rodent stationed himself on his usual spot.

Red exited the room and skipped down the stairs swiftly, and all eyes were on him the moment he touched down the first floor. Many assistants were looking through the sliding automatic glass doors that connected Professor Elm's house and the lab, like how people would look at fishes in the aquarium.

This jolted a reminder in Red's mind and he remembered that he was more recognizable with his signature cap. Professor Oak sensed the discomfort the poor teenager was facing, and then he turned towards the nosy passers-by, shooing them away. And in a few seconds, all the assistants had shuffled away with disappointment. Oak then returned to the current situation, and cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Red, if you would come over here." Professor Oak said as he beckoned with his hand.

Red's heart raced while he walked briskly to the coffee table. However, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, his attention was diverted to the girl that was peeking out from a room. She wore a huge white hat adorned with a huge red ribbon, her brown hair tied in twin ponytails that turned upwards, and her brown eyes had a certain light in them.

A name tag was hanging on the wooden door of the room, which read the name 'Lyra'. Without making any eye contact with the person, he turned towards Professor Elm and muttered,

"Who's… Lyra? She's...staring…"

Professor Elm chuckled. He did not expected the former champion to be so conscious of people. Then he coughed twice to clear his throat, before replying, "That's my daughter, don't mind her. She and Ethan were childhood friends. She's a little shy."

"No I'm not!" Lyra pouted after she rebutted her father's words, which proved that she was a really robust girl. Suddenly, she paused for a few seconds before pointing at Red, apprehensive and wary as she spoke the following words slowly.

"Is he the former champion?" She breathed. "... Red?"

Red sighed in resignation.

"I am."

Lyra went frozen, while her chocolate brown eyes studied the trainer standing a distance away, yet she could not make out what expression he was making, for his cap covered his face too much.

Suddenly, Lyra slammed the door hard out of frustration, stunning both Red and Professor Elm.

"Ahem."

Professor Oak coughed loudly, trying to bring the two back to reality. He just witnessed Professor Elm nodding his head furiously, but Oak knew that he was worried about his daughter after her actions. And Red was the usual. All quiet. Oak then picked up a stylish looking device placed quietly on the coffee table, which was black with a bright red wristband.

"Alright. So this device is the Xtransceiver. One of the newest communication and trainer models. Green must have taught you how to use it."

The boy nodded his head as his red eyes trailed back to Lyra's room, before he blinked and tried to focus. Whatever that was, he can worry about it later.

"Good, I've inputted the numbers of your mother, Green's and mine in this Xtransceiver. Take good care of it." Oak said, passing the Xtransceiver to Red, before moving to a red, familiar looking device.

"And this… is the National Pokedex."

Oak picked up the red and flat gadget. It had a thin piece of glass within two plates of metal that glinted red and was bordered black.

"Red, this is the newest version" Oak introduced, who seemed rather excited. Finally, he could give Red a National Pokedex, with 802 Pokemon waiting to be filed inside.

"I have also transferred the data of the 151 Pokémon you've caught previously." The old professor added. "Don't ever lose it."

The old professor then gently put the Pokédex onto the trainer's palm. Red gasped as he held onto the device, a warm glow coloring his cheeks. He nodded his head profusely, before he paused for a while. Gingerly, he took off his cap, and held it tightly against his chest. Pikachu then jumped down from his broad shoulders, and smiled heartwarmingly to his trainer, attempting to encourage the awkward teen. Red then nodded to his buddy, before he made direct eye contact with the two professors. Stiffly, he bowed.

"Thank you… so much…"

A lump formed in his throat, his heart feeling all warm and fuzzy. He was just so thankful for them to accept him again. For not giving up on this good-for-nothing person like him that once ran away.

And for doing so much for his selfish self.

* * *

*Three Years Ago*

"P-professor...?"

Oak turned around, and found the door ajar, a familiar figure shifting uneasily outside. After the professor gave his approval, the visitor shuffled his feet and entered the private study.

His vest was crumpled, those high collars bending at odd angles, seemingly tugged so hard till they were out of shape, buttons missing and even his black sleeveless shirt had a part of the cloth violently tore off without mercy. As for the person himself, he was not in good shape, for his eyes had a dead look, hands scratched in places, head missing tiny tufts of hair and finally that red baseball cap had suffered a punctured hole at the side. And this poor guy was none other than Red.

"Good gracious!" exclaimed Oak, as he examined the damage the 12 year old boy had suffered. The professor could not comprehend the viciousness of human beings, for this child before him was being subjected to unwanted attention. He was the Champion, and even after 1 year after his coronation, whenever he returned to Pallet, the poor boy had to face this sort of treatment from fans that came from all sorts of places, as they tried to get a tiny article that belonged to him, even if it was a button, a piece of cloth or even a strand of hair. The town residents usually came to rescue the Champion by creating a human barrier between him and the fans, however, sheer force could still penetrate their defense, and the town's beloved Champion would simply be ironed flat onto the ground. And this kind of situation was routine for Red, for he was forced to experience it everytime he was out in the open.

Oak hurriedly stood up and beckoned the boy over to seat in a nearby chair. Red muttered his thanks, before slumping in the wooden chair, tired of the ordeal. After the visitor had enjoyed and calmed down with a puffing hot cup of cocoa, he then stated his business here.

"... Are you done with... your research... for those five pokemon...?" With a silent voice, Red asked. Oak sipped his own cup of coffee, as he nodded knowingly. He had expected the boy to come back for them, for this kind boy had the tendency to release those he had caught back into the wild. He indeed had filled the Kanto pokedex to the brim, through catching, trading and then finally releasing most of them. Oak quickly excused himself to go and retrieve those precious precious pokemon, and he returned to the study minutes later with his hands holding onto 5 smaller sized ultraballs. And with a press of the button on the capturing device, the gold-black balls returned to their original size, and Oak passed them back to their owner.

"Are you sure you want to release them? It is quite a pity..." Oak sighed, before his voice trailed off when he witnessed a never before seen expression on the Champion's face. It was an expression of resignation, with that slight frown signifying him being tired of something, and finally those crimson eyes hiding a deep, deep loneliness. The boy did not answer his question, as he stood up suddenly, muttering another word of thanks, and dragged his feet towards the door, that back of his bending forward, as if something heavy was weighing him down.

And for once, Oak got worried. The professor then asked if he was alright out of concern, and in reply, Red just turned his head back to glance at the old man, his face having an incomprehensible expression. "I'm... fine..." he replied, his eyes then looked down onto the flooring. Before Oak could speak another word, the boy had walked out of the door. Gripping the door handle, those red eyes that belonged to the Champion who stood outside of the room stared at the professor for a few seconds. He averted his gaze as he mumbled,

"Goodbye... Professor Oak..."

The door creaked shut as the visitor left to go through another tiring ordeal of getting tortured by the public.

Little did Oak knew that those were the last farewell words he would ever hear the boy say to him before the passing of 3 years.

The day after that meeting, Red had announced his retirement, not accepting any disapproval by anyone by disappearing immediately after he relayed his intentions to the League. No one knew where he went, where he was, when he will ever come back. And truthfully, Oak had actually felt relieved, when he finally understood the reason for that expression on his face. If leaving was that child's way of being free, he would let him go. But it was his mother that was the problem. First, her husband disappeared, and now when her son did the same thing, her mind just shut down and she fainted on the spot upon hearing the news.

While the boy's mother was out cold, Red had actually mailed a letter to her, just a day after the breaking news. The whole of Pallet Town was incredibly worried about how she would cope with her son's absence, but the lady was much stronger than she looks. All she had inside of her, was faith that her son will one day return.

And he did, in the most worrying way possible.

Meanwhile, Red had bowed towards Oak and Elm out of gratitude, and Professor Oak himself could see the boy trembling a tiny little bit. Elm had replied "your welcome", and told the boy to get some rest before he leaves the town tomorrow.

After Red had returned to his temporary room along with the two gadgets, Oak stood up and started climbing the stairs, with Elm wondering what he was going to do.

"To have a talk with Red," He answered.

Afterwards, he climbed up the remaining steps that led to the second floor. When he stood outside the door, he raised his arm to deliver a few knocks. Yet, his own hand stopped a few centimeters away from the wooden door as he started thinking how the boy had felt when he had stood outside Oak's study three years ago. Did he felt regretful? Nervous? Tired? Did he merely came to just get those Legendary Pokémon? Or did he really came to visit him?

All these answers were left unanswered as the old professor knocked a few times. A soft acknowledgement came from inside, and Oak slowly turned the knob, entering the boy's sleeping quarters for the night.

"Professor Oak..." The boy regarded the old man with a nod. "... Is there... anything you need?"

"Some questions to ask," Oak said, before he noticed a folding chair that was leaning against the cupboard. He chuckled as he corrected himself.

"Plenty I suppose." He then grabbed the chair, unfolded and sat on it. Beckoning Red to sit down on the bed, the teenager hesitantly sat down, before turning to look at the old professor.

"So," Oak began. "What happened after you left for Mount Silver? And why Mount Silver?"

Red paused, knowing that someday, he will have to answer that question. But in all honesty, he did not really know. It just occurred to him that since there were no more worthy challengers, he might as well challenge Nature itself. Mount Silver was the strongest and most dangerous mountain, making it like a valentine temptation to his battle-hungry self. His main language was battling and he cry out for it, he reach out for more and more, and the region's hardest place to conquer was just up on that extinct volcano.

He had fought and fought his way through everything, through the heat of the Rapidashes, through the giant Ursarings and Donphans, through the vicious Gyarados, and cunning Misdreavus.

The day he arrived at the top, on March 15, the mountain had acknowledge as the reigning master by raining diamond dust that sparkled everywhere, the natural beauty of Mt Silver presenting itself before him. And from thereon, he just trained and trained, wanting to approach the summit as close as possible. He did not know what the summit was, where it was, but he just knew he had to get stronger and stronger.

Oak listened, patiently, and when Red finally ended his small summary of what happened over the three years, the professor finally got the chance to ask what he really came for.

"Where did the Legendary Pokémon go?" He asked.

Red paused once more, and the teenager pursed his lips as he remembered the events that had transpired after he got those five Ultraballs back.

* * *

It had been just down by Mount Silver, and Red had released all five Legendary Pokémon:

Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos, Mew and Mewtwo.

Zapdos started squawking as he landed down onto the grass, Articuno and Moltres too landed with a flourish, even Mew and Mewtwo stayed put as all five of them gazed at the trainer.

"You're free now." Red said with a smile, his hands gripping hard on the Ultraballs. Indeed it was a real pity that he was releasing such beautiful and rare pokemon, such strong partners.

Then Mewtwo spoke within Red's mind, which somehow surprised the unprepared boy.

 _Red, we don't need you to take care of us. Just promise us that you will remain as our master. We will go our separate ways, but we don't want anyone else other than you to catch us again. If you become our trainer, no one else can catch us anymore._

Another voice resounded in the human's mind, presumably Articuno's voice:

 _Red! For us, we will be going into slumber to reload ourselves. I will be in the Seafoam Islands, Zapdos around the Power Plant, and Moltres at Mount Ember. Fret not! We will always be here for you, just call our names out loud and we'll be right by your side in a jiffy!_

"Wait! But..." Red said, confused.

But before he could say anything else, the three birds exchanged glances, before flapping their great wings and took off, Zapdos flying off with a crack of thunder and with the speed of light, Moltres' tail emitting blazing flames and Articuno's wings making the air all chilly as ice crystals formed out of nowhere and pelted down. Nature sent a gentle breeze that boosted their flight as the trio flew further and further away at unbelievable speeds.

Red stood, entranced by the amazing birds that flew off into the distance, the three Legendary Birds diminished into little spots of yellow, blue and red against the warm sunset. They left. But what was that all about? Did they say they wanted him to continue to be their trainer?

Red hesitated a little before his fingers skimmed over to the small button of the ultraball, the trainer wanting to unregister the legendaries. This was actually a really easy process, by pressing a tiny button hidden inside the capturing capsule. But before the boy could even flip the ultraball open, the five capturing devices floated out of his grasps without warning and ended up with the pokemon that had took them all away.

Mewtwo had a smug look on his face as he spun the balls that circled above his palm, a mysterious purple light surrounding the objects. The legendary psychic Mewtwo then communicated his farewell words inside Red's head.

 _I'll be holding onto these, trainer. Come to Cerulean Cave if you need me._

Then his humanoid body pumped energy in his thigh muscles, and before long, the purple legendary did a monstrous leap that sent him flying straight east of Mount Silver.

And all that was left was Mew. She floated around and around, her long tail waving aimlessly as she got closer to the dumbfounded trainer. Red regained his composure and glanced at the floating Pokémon that had started spinning slowly around him.

"Mew, why do you all stay?" He asked, not at all understanding why were the five of them so firm about staying with him.

Mew's stared at Red, and continued to spin around the boy, a chuckle escaping her tongue. Finally she hovered right next to his ear, and communicated telepathically once more.

 _Because we like you, Number Zero._

Giving a cat like smile, the mythical Pokémon twirled around and with a poof, she vanished into thin air, leaving Red stoned for at least a whole minute. It was not like he could do anything to set them free, for all the Ultraballs were already taken away by Mewtwo. But what did Mew meant by "Number Zero"? After a short moment, he finally decided to push his thoughts to the back of his mind and focus on the challenge at hand. Red turned to look at Mt Silver cave entrance.

A swirling darkness painted the cave entrance inky black, as a single chain was stretched across the breadth of the doorway to hell, a single warning sign hanging right smack in the middle of the chains, the words fading and a few mysterious splatters of dried blood on the old plastic board.

Red did not even batted an eye at the "Danger, do not enter" words as his nerves of steel did not falter one bit. And little did he realized, that a distance away, a whimsy old man had clambered behind the thicket, although sadly, he had missed the splendid display of legendaries and myths. Even so, the old man laid low, and observed the mysterious person that had came all the way to this perilous and treacherous mountain. He trembled slightly as he witnessed the boy going under the forbidden chains that clattered bleakly, as if signalling his doom.

The old man gave a sniffle, as thoughts ran through his head, certain that the suicidal child will die in that mountain. Only the finest trainers could set foot in that mountain, and not just being any finest trainer, but a Champion. And mind you, even the top could only "set foot" in it, but not "climb it", for it was just way too impossible for any human being to conquer nature itself. which simply proved that the kid was mad, madder than anyone he had ever seen. He had not wore any proper mountain gear, him simply dressed in a casual sleeveless black shirt and jeans, and neither did he announce any high trainer status or whatsoever, making the old man extremely worried for this child.

He had tried to change his mind about going into Mt Silver, but that determination of the boy was not to be underestimated, and finally the old man could only give in and witness the boy's descent to hell.

When Red had finally disappeared into the darkness, not a trace of him spared under the daylight, the old man had sighed, before trudging home, feeling guilty that he had let the boy ventured into the mountain. But little did he know that the fella was none other than the famous champion. And the reason why he had failed to recognized the person, was because Red had removed his cap and trademark vest to avoid getting spotted, which was indeed a clever move that worked well.

Although the irony was that in three years time, indeed, this king of the mountain would have barely been saved from hell itself.

* * *

Finally when he finished recounting the event, Oak had stood up suddenly, grabbing the trainer violently by the shoulders, in which Red had winced, the grip of the old professor hurting him rather painfully. The old man's actions startled Red, for never in his life had he seen Oak looking so shocked than now.

"M-mew c-c-called you 'N-n-n-number Zero'?" The professor stuttered, and the confused teenager simply nodded, desperate to get out of the unexpectedly strong grasps of the old professor. His wish was granted, as Oak let go of his hands, and sat back down, remembering what had happened that day.

That day when the existence of the twenty-two beings was confirmed.

The Major Arcana.


	6. Chapter 6: Mew and the Major Arcana

Mew and the Major Arcana

*Four Years Ago*

"Gramps, gramps, gramps!" She cried, excitement bubbling through her whole body. The familiar voice of his granddaughter could be heard from inside of the lab.

"Daisy! Stop that racket! It's hurting my head!" The professor bellowed from his study's balcony.

"It's because you're old! Hurry up! We want to see that pokemon!"

Oak sighed at his granddaughter's sudden fit of excitement. He could understand that that science blood inside her was all so curious about that pokemon, and if the grandfather was even one second late in opening the gate, the usually calm and mature Daisy would simply lay waste to the entrance. As he got closer to the gates, he noticed another familiar visitor. And it was none other than the grandson.

"Welcome, Daisy! And... Green." Oak had paused before he spoke his grandson's name. Green paid no heed in that obvious disappointed tone of the professor as he brushed past the old man, not even meeting his grandfather's eye. Daisy could only hold her breath as she stared at the back of her brother, who had missed his chance to be crowned Champion. Two months had already passed after his rival's coronation, and yet he still could not get over the loss. No, correction, it was not the loss that he grew bitter of, instead, it was the lashing he was given by his very own grandfather. He had grew distant from Oak over these past months, and refused to exchange a greeting to the old man. According to Red, her grandfather had actually said the following words right before Red entered the Hall of Fame:

 _"Green, I'm disappointed. How could my own grandson treat pokemon as battling machines!? Go learn a thing or two from Red...really, it's no wonder that you will lose."_

The sister had demanded for an apology from her grandfather for being so mindless about her brother's feelings. Daisy could sympathize with her prideful brother, for he had been brutally denied by his only parent figure. Her grandfather had indeed been too strict and sharp in his words.

It was not like her grandfather was totally in the wrong, for the root of this whole heated strain in grandfather-grandson relationship was Green himself. Daisy was aware that the family's genius had been too arrogant, and even though Oak had advised him infinite times to correct his attitude, Green paid no heed to wise-man's words and finally he cut short his own potential. Her grandfather had apologized, but after that particular scolding, Green had neither trained nor battled ever since. It was as if he had lost his passion.

The siblings followed their grandfather into the lab, which was devoid of the hustle bustle of assistants scrambling around and machines whirring. It was a Sunday, thus it was perfectly normal for no one to come for work, yet the emptiness made the lab feel more lonely than ever. Professor Oak moved further in, and stopped in front of a tempered glass door that had a scanner at the side. Oak bent down, had his right eye scanned, before the door slid open soundlessly.

This was the area where they raised and kept all kinds of Pokémon found in Kanto, and they were all housed in decorated mini-rooms that were stacked against the wall, which was similar to those kinds of cabinet display cases. Daisy waved to some of the "newbies" that were staring at the humans with curious eyes, some of them hiding out of shyness or fear. Green just gave a quick glance at the Pokémon before briskly walking forward. He had seen way more interesting Pokémon out in the open, with him even meeting Mewtwo himself, although that psychic legendary simply demolished him by springing a surprise attack back in the Cerulean Cave.

And yet Red caught Mewtwo, completed the Pokédex, which marked another two losses for Green. His eyes darkened, as he clenched his fists. He know he should not hold such kind of animosity towards his friend. This made him feel like a sore loser, but he just...

 _Hated him so much._

After the trio arrived at another highly guarded room, Oak swiftly entered passwords, scanned his fingerprint and eyes and soon the tempered glass door opened. The room was neither big nor small, and had a sci-fi feel embedded in the four walls of metal. From first glance, it seemed empty, but Oak simply stepped onto a switch, and gears beneath the room started buzzing, metal and chains clanking, lights flashing. The immaculate white metal ground revealed a small round hole, and a metallic blue machine sprung out from the ground like a Diglett. The machine was shaped like the top half of a Pokéball, and a tiny pedestal with a numberless pad emerged from the ground before Oak.

The top of the machine split into halves, the covers retreating back underground, unveiling a small round platform that held five Ultraballs. Daisy's eyes sparkled brighter than ever, while Green just gave a shrug, not at all impressed.

Professor Oak's fingers promptly danced across the capsules, before gingerly picking up the one on the far right.

"Lady and gentleman, meet Mew!" Oak attempted to mimic the tone of a gameshow host, and the siblings just uttered a 'meh', familiar with their grandfather's failed humour. The professor, however, was not discouraged as he clicked the button on the Ultraball, releasing the mythical pokemon with a flourish.

A white flash shot out of the capsule, materializing into a pink pokemon with big, blue eyes. Mew had a short and wide snout, ears that made her looked like a cat, and an abnormally long tail that could coil around that tiny body at least three times. She hovered in the air as she gave a quick glance at Daisy, who was just oohing and aahing like a pre-recorded tape. Then Mew laid eyes onto the spiky-haired human boy.

He wore a loose and wide v-neck navy blue t-shirt and simple beige jeans, him being all casual, and a small pendent laid on his broad chest. Tucking his hands in his pockets, and standing so straight with that alarming yet cool-looking hairstyle, his aura earned a knowing look from Mew.

Then she laughed, or whether it was laughter, none of the Oaks knew. The foreign chuckle of the mythical pokemon suddenly ended when she glowed a purple befitting of a psychic pokemon, and the most incomprehensible thing happened.

Daisy vanished.

Like she was never there with all her oohs and aahs. Green almost lost his cool when something that was right beside him was now gone, and Oak could not even blink as he stared at the empty space.

They could have panicked, but an abrupt pound at the entrance made them switch their gazes to the familiar figure outside. Through the tempered glass door, the person's mouth opened and close, as if shouting about something.

Daisy Oak had went from being inside the room to being outside the room, but instead of shock, the latter looked excited, seemingly understanding what caused this situation as she jabbed her finger repeatedly at the floating Mew. Green and Oak heaved a sigh of relief when they realized it was just Mew's doing. The grandfather scratched his head as he wondered why would the pokemon do such action, before another pound to the door demanded entry for his granddaughter. The professor shifted his feet towards the door when suddenly a tall purple barrier appeared right smack in his face, with Daisy removed from his sight yet another time.

"Now, Mew, if you could please stop fooling around, it will seriously help." Oak grumbled. Mew was like a kid, and was quite a handful for the professor when he tried to persuade her to return to her pokeball days before.

 _I'm not fooling around, human! I need to talk to this human boy._

Oak gave a jump, when the rather smooth, high voice entered his head, the unfamiliar experience of telepathy hitting him like a hammer all so suddenly. It was logic that only mythical and legendary Pokémon, not forgetting Psychic types, can properly converse with humans via telepathy. But it was not an everyday thingy for a voice to intrude into your mind like an uninvited busybody.

After he regained his composure, Oak replied, "Alright, state your business, Mew."

Then she laughed, gazing at Green, who was raising his brow apprehensively. He then snorted, which earned a grin from Mew who hovered nearer to him, her body glowing purple once more.

 _Human, do you believe in the Major Arcana?_

"No." Green uttered.

 _Huh,_ Mew tilted her head, before she continued, her eyes twinking. _But no matter, since y_ ou _are still Number I, The Magician._

The latter jerked upright, his hazelnut brown eyes went wide, his lips going drier and drier with every passing second He lifted his head, right arm stiffened, and looked at the Pokémon, eyes narrowing. Meanwhile, Oak nearly lost his balance in his shock as he started stuttering nonsense.

A few seconds passed, before the information sunk in, and with a cold tone, Green replied.

"You're lying."

 _And why do you say that?_ Mew argued, frowning at his uncaring attitude.

"Because that story is utter bullshit."

 _Well, why don't you tell this story to me?_ Mew huffed with a challenging tone. Green then clicked his tongue in annoyance, reluctant to waste any saliva in narrating this stupid tale. Regardless, he settled himself down and got ready to relay this nonsensical story, stealing a glance at his grandfather, who leaned against the wall.

"The Major Arcana are the original humans created by Arceus himself, and they represent life and the core of humans, or something like that. All twenty-two were tasked to find one another, with a certain reward promised to them." He drawled. "The story was told through the Fool's perspective, who found each of the cards in the numerical order: Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot, Strength, Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement and World. Oh, Arceus, my throat's going dry, can I stop?"

Mew visibly rolled her eyes, before she answered, _Alright, just tell me the ending._

"Sorry, but there wasn't an ending. It never got to the ending. When the group found the final card, the story just stopped. Online sources don't even have the full picture. That's why I said the deck doesn't exist."

Mew merely smiled in reply.

 _Human, not trying to burst your bubble, but this story has an ending. And in the first place, your version has really inaccurate details._

"What inaccuracies?" Oak asked, his eyes twinkling, getting interested in this topic of discussion.

 _Well, let just confirm that indeed the Major Arcana are the original humans, but something makes it a puzzle. Human, try guessing it._

"I don't have time to play with you Mew, and my name's not Human, it's Green."

 _Green? What a weird name for a human._

"Tsk." Green grumbled. "So? Go on."

Mew chuckled, before her blue eyes glinted with a certain light.

 _What if I said humans were never created by Arceus?_

A loud hush blanketed itself over the room, as both grandfather and grandson tried to register what they had just heard. And then in unison, both cried out.

"What do you mean!?"

In a nonchalent tone, Mew replied, _That's what it literally means. Everything in this Pokémon universe is created by Arceus, and you could say everything is Pokémon. Each Pokémon can create things or be created by things. Like how bug types create bugs, grass types create green plants. Or maybe like how human-made objects could morph into Pokémon like Trubbish, Rotom or Honedge. It's like a cycle of creating and creation._

 _But, humans defy this cycle. Yes, humans do create, but your species only create objects, not_ _Pokémon_ _. Or maybe artificial_ _Pokémon_ _like Porygons and maybe Mewtwo. But neither were you created by Arceus nor any_ _Pokémon_ _. Humans were never_ _Pokémon_ _, and that itself defies the rule of this universe._

"...That makes sense..." muttered Oak, a frown settling between his eyebrows. It was not something that one will think, whether all not you belong to this world. Pokémon were just an everyday thing, and everyone will just assume that it was absolutely normal, and then theories and systems brought about by themselves shaped the world to how it is today: a harmonious society where trainers train Pokémon and people worked with Pokémon. Although there were still crime everywhere like how a normal society should have. And the hard truth behind everything was just what the mythical Pokémon had said.

Humans were never Pokémon.

This fact seemed so right with everything in this universe. Humans never belonged to a Pokémon type. They were the ones who classify species, not be classified. Humans never possessed any special power and could have been the ones to be wiped out from the face of the earth had they not made friends with Pokémon throughout the centuries.

 _Mind you, Arceus was sure perplexed when suddenly "poof"! Twenty-two of your kind just existed on the very Earth he created. Even the mighty creator have no idea where you guys came from. Then your species multiplied and your numbers dominate this whole planet. In fact, humans fascinates all Pokémon and living things. You humans think Pokémon are the mysterious ones and research, experiment on us, then sometimes you deem us as more dangerous than you, but on the contrary, we are the ones who find you intriguing and perilous._

"The Major Arcana..." Green said slowly. "They really exist?"

 _Of course they do!_ Mew chuckled. _Aren't you the living proof?_ _It has been know to us that every time a deck fades out, a new deck replaces the original twenty-two, and for unknown reasons, Arceus will always know who are the Fool and the Magician. The Creator has always found this amusing and sees it as a way to learn more about humans. So he decided to set a mission for them, and like your story, provide a certain reward._

"Fine. So what is the reward? Has any of the decks succeeded at gathering everyone?"

 _The reward is not known to even myself._ Mew said as it shook its head. _And sadly, none of the decks of the past succeeded._

"Why is that?" Green asked as he quirked his eyebrow, curious.

 _Most of the cards were sometimes never to be found, because well, you can't really search for another twenty people in every nook and cranny of this wide earth in your lifetime. Some died before the deck could be completed. But the two most prominent cards that were never found even once were Judgement and the World, excluding the first generation._

"Alright, then. So, what about the legend? Do they actually represent life? What happened to the first generation?" Green said as he clenched his fists, desperation eating him. He wanted to get as much information as possible to quench his thirst for knowledge.

 _Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee the Major Arcana represent anything. And the missing ending of the tale is not a pretty one. Actually, you said the group found the last card, but if my memory serves me well, someone in the deck betrayed the Fool right after they found the World. That was what happened for the first generation._

Green paused, and wanted to protest, but Oak interrupted by clearing his throat, and Mew switched her attention onto the wizened old man. He too seemed to be on edge, as his eyes sparkled infinitely, wanting to know more.

"Why did you wait till now to tell him that he is the Magician? You could have find him yourself."

 _It's because Arceus can only know so much_. Mew replied, earning confused looks from both grandfather and grandson. _On a side note, don't ever mention anything of the deck to anyone too easily. The twenty-two cards are very special beings and it would not be wise of you to involve any normal humans. But of course, it's an exception if you trust the other very much, such as this old human over here. I sensed that you hold incredible respect towards him, so I permitted him to listen._

Green's cheeks turned red as he glanced at his grandfather, before quickly averting his gaze.

 _Magician, you will have to take plenty of risks. You will have to bet your life to complete this mission._

Samuel Oak looked at Mew, stunned, before he glanced at Green, who narrowed his eyes.

So he was part of this deck of mystery, and he has to find the other twenty-one cards. It sounded odd, yet amusing to Green Oak. The reward did not appeal to him that much, but he wanted to try doing this.

"Sure." He smirked. Professor Oak watched his grandson in surprise, not really knowing how to react to this. Green was barely twelve, and yet he was so ready to _bet_ his life? On something so enigmatic and suspicious?

 _That's a nice look you have on your face, Magician._ Mew said. _When a card is aware of their number in the deck, you'll get a tattoo to identify yourself. There should be one on your body right now._

Green turned to look at his grandfather, who looked slightly taken aback by his grandson's decision. Oak did not know what to feel. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing seemed to be eating at himself. But there was already proof engraved onto Green.

"Green, your collarbone." Oak pointed, the black symbol partly hidden by his wide v-neck shirt. Green gave a look of surprise, before bending his head down and squinting to find the tattoo Mew mentioned. And sure enough, just right at his protruding clavicle, a deep dark Roman numeral "I" was plastered on, almost as if it had always been there. Green touched the number, feeling excited as a red hue painted itself on his cheeks.

"Mew," Oak suddenly said. "I forbid you to do this."

"Gramps?" Green exclaimed as he stared at his grandfather in surprise.

"He's still a child!" Oak reasoned.

"I'm not-!" Green got ready to retort.

"Yes, you are, and I won't let you do this." The professor said firmly. "You are my grandchild, and I'm not going to let you risk your life for something like this."

Green Oak froze, as he saw his grandfather's knuckles going white from clenching them too hard.

 _It's his fate,_ Mew simply said. _No one, not even Arceus himself, can change it._

"I-!" Oak said, his head shaking vehemently.

"Gramps!"

Samuel Oak abruptly stopped, and turned to look at the boy, and the old man went still, as a strangely mature aura was all around his grandson.

"I'm not your grandchild," Green began. "I'm not Professor Samuel Oak's grandson."

Professor Oak gasped, as Green turned to face Mew.

"I'm Green Oak, and I will do what Green Oak will do," He declared. "And I will be Number I, the Magician."

Oak opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his jaw went slack, his mouth hanging open as he saw the steely gaze in his grandson's eyes. Finally, he sighed heavily.

"So, who is the Fool?" Green asked.

 _You will know in future._ Mew answered.

"Okay, cool." Green shrugged.

 _I wish you luck._ Mew uttered as she removed the psychic barrier that block the door. _Our talk is over._

Green smirked, before took one last glance at Mew, and headed towards the door. Oak, flustered, asked, "What do you plan to do?"

The trainer paused in his tracks. He knew he has to get out there, get stronger, all the while gaining reputation and a certain level of authority to be able to search for the other cards effectively. And what other ways is there than this?

"Sign up for the Viridian City Gym Leader examination."

* * *

The professor had been sitting so stiff in his chair for the past minute with his eyes closed. Trying to break the silence, Red called out, "Um... Prof-"

"Sorry, I'm fine, just... nothing..." Oak replied, suddenly reminded that he was supposed to keep the whole matter a secret.

"What is it about Number Zero?" Red inched closer, his red eyes drowned in curiosity, pressuring the old professor.

Oak gulped before he shook his head.

"A-anyways, I guess that's all for my questions, I'll be getting Elm." Then the professor stood up and briskly walked out, not giving Red any time to react.

As he slowly walked towards the stairs, the professor felt as if his heart was sinking. First, it was Green. And now, Red.

Over these years, at the request of Green, he had asked many professors over the world and found many trainers. However, most did not reveal signs as to being a part of the Major Arcana.

He trudged down the stairs, a heavy feeling in his chest. He did not like the idea at all, yet, he knew he has to inform Green about this.

Meanwhile, the room was rather empty, and Red stoned for aw while, feeling way too idle. There was nothing he could do here. Perhaps, he could lie onto the bed and take a snooze while he still can. It was all too normal for him to go on for many sleepless nights while adventuring, as experienced during his journey throughout Kanto. He would probably get tortured by the same thing during his time in Johto.

And he shut his eyes, his eyelids blocking out the afternoon sunlight with a curtain of darkness.

It was a rare kind of wonderful silence that enveloped his ears as time slipped by and he felt his sense of hearing picking out more sounds than ever. The faint ticking of the clock. The beep of the Xtransceiver. The small knock from somewhere. The creaking of a door. The footsteps that seemed too light to be a man.

Everything happened in a blur. Red's instincts dragged him upwards, and when his feet touched ground, he side-stepped, and quickly his arm aimed for its target. Fingers gripping onto a slender wrist, with a swift motion, he locked the unknown person's arms onto his or her back.

Despite how weak his body is now, Red could still manage a few self-defense moves. He was not to scale a dangerous mountain without having proper muscles and physical skills.

Although this time, his rashness to carry out his "self-defense" earned a yell from his "assailant". Her hat had dropped onto the ground with a small thud as she attempted to wriggle out of his grasp.

"What the hell are you doing!? Let me go!" Lyra cried, feeling a little angered. Her voice struck Red in the head and he finally realized his mistake. He promptly removed his grip and took a few steps back, as he muttered his apologies.

"Seriously," she grumbled, as she bent down to pick up her hat. "Here I wanted to make you pay for what you did, and yet I'm being the one that almost got pinned down for no reason." Patting off the dust, Lyra gritted her teeth, as she got ready to get back at this older boy. Well, she actually had wanted to unleash a sneak attack on this freeloader by punching him in the face but the plan had failed seconds ago.

This infuriating Champion got the nerve to take Silver away from her. And she will without fail devastate that face of his. Pushing her hat firmly onto her head, Lyra clenched her fists and spun around, aiming for his...

Way too good looking face.

0.5 second. Her back was halfway turning, her left foot getting ready to pivot at the heels, right fist approximately fifteen centimeters perpendicularly from her chest. And her chocolate brown eyes found the face of her target.

She saw those red eyes that was of a crimson out of this world, and it momentarily took away her breath.

First second. Her right foot was now on its toes, her left foot turned, her torso 175° from its original position, right fist exactly twenty-five centimeters 45° to her right of her torso.

His ebony black hair stuck up messily, like he had never combed it in his life, as its glossy surface sparkled, perfectly complementing his red eyes.

The second second. She was completely facing Red, her fist twenty centimeters away from his face.

That handsomely shaped jawline that could cut diamonds, that perfect lips that was dabbled in moisture, the perfectly sized nose that fixed everything all so right.

Lyra panicked. Her fist would not be able to stop from the force in time. Oh hell, she was going to bash that pretty face and she would have to bear this heavy sin for the rest of her pathetic life.

She had not taken a good look at his face when he was in the living room. First, his cap obscured his face. Second, he was too far away. Third, her wet eyes prevented her from looking at a good-looking guy. No one told her that the Champion Red was so insanely handsome. The net had pictures of him but most were just snotty and childish pictures of his eleven-year old self, with him having a rounder face and smaller eyes. Time can really change a person, and now he was bursting of hotness.

Lyra admits that she has a fetish for hot guys. And truthfully, it was something she was proud of. She held appearances in high regard. Never would she permit herself to harm those handsome faces.

Yet her fist was going to hit him. Goodness, she was going to hit him. Going to...

"...Erm..." his dreamy voice muttered, and Lyra could not help but breath a sigh of relief. Red had barely stopped the punch of this Lyra girl with his palm, and frankly, her strength was not something to underestimate. When he had stopped the flight of her fist, a loud smack had resounded in the room, and now he could feel his palm going sore with pain.

"I'm sorry!" She frantically apologize, catching Red off-guard. To him, it felt weird to have an attacker saying sorry to him. Were you supposed to say sorry when you were going to punch someone?

"IwasactuallygoingtopunchyoubutI'dneverthoughtthatyouweresogood-looking! Pleasepardonmyrudeness!" Lyra quickly shoot off her thoughts, getting really panicky.

 _Ah, how am I supposed to get angry at him now? But he took away Silver from me... but in consideration of his face, maybe I can spare..._ She thought to herself furiously.

"...No... it's fine. I... don't really like you anyways..." Red replied all so truthfully.

And the stoned Lyra got burned so hard that she literally cracked.


	7. Chapter 7: Under the Moonlight

Under the Moonlight

The pearl white orb was slowly getting obscured by the thick mist of the thick night. The sky was evil today, and it preferred to block out any light that had the potential to shine through. And this gave the perfect lighting for the sneaky thief to carry out his meticulous burglary. The many Hoothoots screeched, their red scleroses turning more and more bloody by the minute, as their brethren invited the arrival of the devil.

He paused as he took note the presence of no one. Then swiftly and stealthily, he darted to the side of the lab, a grappling hook with rope attached in hand. He felt his hands sweaty, and his breathing ragged. Even his heart was betraying his expectation with its thumpings so loud that the noise reverberated throughout the neighborhood. No way, was he nervous?

Resting his head against the cold metal walls of the Elm Pokemon Lab, the thief gazed up to the sky, his eyes searching for the moon. He was going to do this. He was not going to let his own cowardice convert his plan into failure after all this time. Didn't he swore he was going to be the strongest? Didn't he swore that he would not be weak?

Closing his eyes, he forced all the nightmares to swallow him once more; to steel his determination, fortify him. That cowardly father. That cursed organisation.

Flashing his eyes open, he stood straight and turned. Using his strength and whatever was left of his dinner, the boy swung the hook up, its metal point glinting in the darkness as it shot up. A dull clang and a hefty pull told him that it was secure enough. He was going to do this. Definitely. Without fail. And yet the voice of that insufferable weakling that called out to him during the day resounded in his brain. What did he looked like? Oh, yeah, he had that crazy fringe and similarly insufferable cap. And that reckless golden eyes that screamed of everything he hates in this world. That kid so full of goodness.

He probably won't see that weakling again. Probably, that small animal was somewhere in Cherrygrove to do an errand and staying overnight at the house of some guy called Mr. Pokemon. Pushing away all thoughts regarding to that errand boy, the thief focused on his current goal. He climbed up carefully, every step onto the walls not giving away a single clatter of his presence.

Soon, he landed onto the roof of the lab, which was a flat aluminium surface. From what he observed, this lab was connected to the house of the professor. And further up from where he stood, was the living quarters of the family. The thief got up, and crept to search for the fire escape window.

When he had climbed the nearby tree during the day, he had spotted it. Under this darkness, he could only tap on the surfaces lightly in order to hear the familiar clinking sound of glass. After multiple minutes of tapping, he finally determined the position of the window. Looking up, he realized that his current location was awfully close to a small balcony.

Having no time to waste, he opened the latch and sunk his legs into the building. Carefully, he landed onto the dull grey flooring. The lab was lined and littered with countless bottles, low and wide tables, which bristled with test tubes, retorts, colorful liquids like how a lab should contain. Breathing heavily, the boy proceeded on, his footsteps tip-pity and quiet. Then he briskly found the machine that held the pokemon. The security of the machine was lax, with a simple four number password code guarding it, and he had actually got a glimpse of the password during his spying sessions.

"7...4...0...2" muttered the thief and soon an unnecessary beep opened the cover of the machine. His eyes glimmered as he got ready to get the pokemon he had set his sights on. But his fingers grabbed nothing, and finally he realized that the hole did not held his dream pokeball. Where was it? He yelled furiously in his mind. Then it came to him.

That goody weakling with that obnoxious hair had took Cyndaquil!

Clenching his fists, the boy frowned. Annoyed, he examined the remaining two pokemon. Chikorita and Totodile. He felt his facial muscles contorting when he glanced at the picture of the grass-type. Weak. So weak-looking. Then a glance at Totodile made him feel better. At least the water type looked ferocious.

Hearing a small clatter, the thief jerked and without wasting a second, his fingers clasped onto Totodile's pokeball and he ran for the escape exit. His nervousness pushed him out of the building faster than ever and soon he was out. As he slumped himself onto the roof, he searched for the moon once more. But the mist still hindered the light from shining through. And to him, it was perfect for his getaway.

He had done it. He had done it! The accomplishment sent an adrenaline down his spine as he stared at the surface of the red and white device, sweat trickling down his back. But his exuberation was stopped short when plodding footsteps made him turned around to face the balcony.

And damn, was that a silly mistake.

An unnatural breeze passed by the roof, shifting the draping mist to a distance away. Instantly, the moonlight tinted his red hair with a glow and revealed his appearance. And the one who saw everything was none other than Lyra Kotone Elm.

She heard noises in her sleep that had jerked her awake at midnight, and had walked to the balcony groggily, wanting to clear her head with aid from the wind before she go back to her bed. Her orange sleepwear was poorly buttoned, and she lifted her tired legs again and again as she approached the open air closer and closer. Her eyes made out a silhouette that became clearer, with her realizing that it was a dashing guy right at her window step. His red hair whipped in the strong breeze and she swore she saw droplets of sweat flying about, scattering the moonlight into tiny spotlights that danced around this uninvited Phantom Thief. Strangely, he was gritting his teeth with a surprise expression on his face. Their eyes met and seconds passed, their gazes not leaving each other.

For the thief, he was just too shocked to move and could only stare at the unexpected disturbance.

However, for Lyra, she was just transfixed onto that rare eye colour of mercury silver. That was so similar to the royal gold color that belonged to Ethan. Her mouth opened and closed, lips glistening and one word escaped from her tongue.

"Silver."

The next second, a shadow loomed before her. In slow motion, her chocolate eyes went wide as an incoming hand aimed for her gaping mouth. She felt long bunches of her hair flying violently in the wind as the figure gripped onto the balcony railing, foot in between the gaps as he held on for balance. His ferocity was intense as he glared at her, his faces inches away. From her point of view, it was like staring at the devil himself, his red hair like a sea of fire, those eyes of the moon so impossibly close.

Those eyes that held isolation, hate and callousness. That hurt expression of rejection. Lyra could have tried to scream but she was too stunned to do anything. And now that she observed at point blank range, this guy looked really lethargic.

"Shush, weakling. Make a noise I'll... I'll..." He growled, his voice trailing off as he tried to think up of a threat. But he was interrupted when a finger jab was sent to his stomach. The stinging pain made him lose his grip as he tumbled down. If he had not held onto the ledge, he would definitely fell with a crash and wake the whole household up.

"The hell was that for!" He hissed, as he glared at the girl. Lyra shrugged and replied, "Self-defense." With a displeased look, he pursed his lips, before pushing himself up onto the fence, face-to-face with the girl once again. Lyra's cheeks puffed red, realizing that this was the second time he was in such close proximity to her. Her heart beat harder, unsure how should she cope with this situation. This person is an intruder, and she should capture this guy or shout for help, yet her body restricted her from uttering a sound or moving another muscle.

"How did you know my name?" Muttered the boy. Lyra could feel his hot breath, those lips moving as he spoke, his voice alluring. Every action of his was promoting his ranking in Lyra's "hot guy list". Nevertheless, she compelled herself to reply.

"Silver's your... name? I just blurted it out... cause your eyes... were so pretty..." her voice faltering as she gasped for air.

In return, Silver's eyes grew wide in surprise. He had never expected the girl to sneak in a compliment in those words. His eyes narrowed as he studied this weakling, nose crinkling in confusion.

Suddenly, a loud hoot and rustling leaves in the thick night reminded the thief that he was still in enemy's territory. He had no more time to waste with this weakling. Letting go of the fence, he leaped off and lightly landed on the roof suavely. Lyra tried to call out to this mysterious Phantom Thief, but he had slinked away and ran to the edge of the flat roof in a blur. The thief then found his grappling hook and soon he absailed down. Quickly, he coiled the rope up, and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he gave a sour look at the moon.

"Humph." He grunted. Walking down Route 29, the devil named Silver disappeared into the night.

* * *

"...What do you... want from me?" Red muttered, a sweat droplet rolling down his neck. Back totally glued to the wall, his hands tried to reach out for the insanely faraway brass doorknob, fingers flailing as the girl got even closer. How should he escape this predicament? From that expression, he knows that this girl was here for some serious business that involved violence.

Like what they always say: fight fire with fire. So he could fight violence with violence. He was skilled enough to at least knock her out. Maybe a throat stab, or applying pressure onto her external carotid artery. Or maybe...

But he was not given the chance when Lyra pounced onto him like a leopard.

He shouted in pain, as a piece of paper with slapped onto his forehead, covering his vision with a blank white canvas. "Don't remove it! Your face is distracting!" she insisted. Giving a sigh, Red resigned to her illogical demands and left the "mask" alone. Then he brushed past her and sat onto the bed.

"Good, now we can talk." She said. "Red, where is Silver?"

"... Is that... a person's name?" Red replied, his mind not comprehending what she said, yet his mouth simply shooting out what he thought of. Well, he could not really ask whether "Silver" is a name; his own name is absurd itself.

"Don't you know him?" She barked back, getting confused herself.

"...Never heard of him.." He muttered, shaking his head.

"But he told me he was going to find and fight you! Then... then... he just... I lost all contact with him months ago. And I just assumed that you were the reason why he left... and that probably you've met him." she said, trying to stifle her emotions.

"... Sorry, I really don't know him..." Red said, still slightly confused. "... Plus, I was in Mt. Silver all the time... then in the hospital... so... my apologies..."

So he was almost bashed with a punch and smacked on the forehead just because of a misunderstanding. But he could sympathize with her, since his own father had left him and his mother. For fifteen years.

"... I can help you find him." He offered as he tore the paper mask off his face. He was going around the region after all. Finding one person in Johto won't be too hard, will it?

Lyra, on the other hand, was bursting of gratitude as she thankfully gave a short bow. Then she mumbled, "Sorry for the... um... punch and..." and she frantically avoided his gaze, as a tinge of red lit her cheeks up in embarrassment.

"... It's alright." He replied. "Do you... have a picture of him?"

Lyra nodded and fumbled through her wallet, and then she picked out a small photograph. Red retrieved it and took a look. It was a serious-looking individual with flaming red hair that somehow had the ability to stick up, very much like the way Green's hair behaved. His skin was strangely pale, and much of his features were quite alright. But his eye shape and calculative smile looked way too familiar.

Red's blood went cold. His fingers trembled and he exhaled quick breaths, an insurmountable feeling burned in his chest. He could recognize that eye shape anywhere. Red eyes blazed at the sight of the silver ones, and the trainer scrunched up the photograph, dropped it onto the ground in shock.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Lyra yelled, angered that he had discarded the photo so carelessly. She picked it up and smooth it out, not noticing the teenager's silent distress as he evened out his breathing.

"... Lyra, who is that?" He huffed as he shut his eyes, calming his heart down. And she replied indignantly, "It's Silver!"

"... Any known relatives of his?" His red eyes flashed as he eyed the picture, feeling nauseous.

"He did mentioned his father before..." Lyra said, getting wary and frightened.

"...Name...?" He whispered.

"His father... is Giovan-"

Then Red simply curled up on the bed with the blanket over his body, indicating he did not want to help anymore.

"Wait, why?" She protested. "I admit he is the son of Team Rocket's former boss, but do you have to do this?"

"... He tried to kill me..."

"But it's none of Silver's business!"

"... He was the one who tried to bury me alive!"

Silence hung around the room like a suffocating smoke.

"I'm sorry... for pushing this onto you..." Lyra said hesitantly, before she glanced at the ground, quiet, but a moody air surrounded her instantly.

Red stayed silent for a while, and then he muttered.

"... Give me time... to think..."

Lyra heaved a sigh of relief and gave a few slight nods. She turned to leave, while Red looked over his shoulder and spotted something intriguing.

"...Erm... What's that on your... neck?" he asked curiously. The mark was slightly covered by her high collar.

"Oh? This?" Lyra inquired as she pointed at the black mark, before pushing her her collar down, making the sign clearer than before. And there it laid. A midnight-black "V" that was etched on her neck.

"Just a tattoo." She smiled secretively, although he did not managed to catch her expression. She exited the room, trotted down the short corridor and was gone from his sight.

A sense of loneliness started to creep into the room with the boy all alone, and adding the conflicting thoughts in his head, Red needed someone to talk to.

He reached out for the pokeball that nestled on the bed and pressing the button, he released Espeon, the only reasonably sized pokemon other than Pikachu. Her amethyst colored eyes gazed at her trainer as she sat upright next to him. Red smiled and patted her lightly, the eeveelution letting out a satisfied purr. Another look at her trainer, she understood what she had to do.

Her body glowed purple and the small red crystal on her forehead shimmered brightly, allowing her to use telepathy on the conflicted teen. Then she pranced closer and said in his head.

 _I think you should help her. That event happened so long ago after all._

"... I don't know... he did tried to-"

 _But I saved you, didn't I?_

Red's eyes stared at his pokemon for a long while, before he caressed her lavender fur, mouth turning up into a smile.

* * *

"On a second thought, I shouldn't let you run wild, Red." Those pair of condescending eyes staring him down from above the small metal enclosure. He was deep within the Earth, surrounded by four walls of metal, with only sufficient space for him to stretch out his legs. Cold sweat rolled down his cheeks as he glared at the hypocritical boss he had just defeated yesterday at the Rocket Hideout.

Gritting his teeth, Red could predict what was to come: Giovanni planned to bury him alive. That man had not left a single flaw and was meticulous in every way. They targeted him when he was out of Celadon City, sprang a surprise attack on him, knocked him out, his team all fainted in their Pokéballs, Escape ropes, Potions and Revives taken away.

Giving out a hearty, evil laugh, Giovanni signaled his goons to add the last touch to the stage of Red's impending doom.

"Giovanni!" Red yelled, as he attempted to reach out, but this prison was too deep into the earth, not giving him the chance to bite this malicious villain that was going to prevail over him.

"Enjoy your numbered days in here, that's your punishment for messing with my organisation!" Giovanni sneered, his large nose turning up. Then the man turned and left, as a large metal cover dropped like an anchor over the box. Red sank onto his knees, as he heard the grim thudding of dirt hitting the top. Giovanni had purposely left a single hole of diameter of a regular pokeball to provide oxygen for the prisoner, determined to make Red die of either dehydration or starvation.

He hurriedly grabbed his backpack that was fortunately still with him and checked the emergency rations. They won't even survive six days with only these supplies. And he would not be able to contact anyone since he did not have a Pokegear, worse off, he don't even know where he was in Kanto. Probably somewhere far away from human settlements, where no one will ever come. Giovanni knew better than to let him have the option to shout for help.

Red despaired as he silently backed away, slumping against the metal wall, his hands stuffing into his pocket out of habit. And immediately, he felt something round and smooth.

Full of hope and excitement, he took out the pokeball that he had found in the Celadon Condominiums just yesterday. It was pure luck that Giovanni had not realized that Red had kept another pokemon with him, and this might just save their lives.

"... Eevee.." said Red, releasing the pokemon in the process. He did not know what type of pokemon this little creature is, and was only informed of its gender (which is a she) and the name.

The pokemon that materialized from the white light was full of fluff and fur, brown eyes twinkling as it landed on its four paws, bushy tail swishing, cream colored collar puffing up. Surprised at the dim surroundings, Eevee yelped and bumped into the trainer.

"...Hello there." He said, awkwardly. Eevee trilled and returned the greeting by licking his hand. Chuckling, Red patted this cutesy pokemon, his fingers sinking into its soft and bountiful brown fur. Then he pointed up at the top of the cage, and said, "..Do you think you could... destroy that cover above us?"

Eevee paused, and nodded hesitantly. She understood what predicament her new trainer was in, but even so, she was not trained in battling at all, so it seemed hard for her to destroy metal on the get go.

After she distanced herself from Red, the quadrupled pokemon gave a high leap, and yes, she was reaching the top! Reaching...

The top?

Eevee found herself falling down, her efforts all for naught for her tiny body could not even reach the metal cover. Red frantically cushioned the pokemon's fall with his body, and Eevee laid sprawled on the trainer's chest.

She purred, guilty and upset that she was not able to help her new trainer, but Red simply smiled, assuring the pokemon that it was alright.

They tried many other ways, a few more jumps, futile climbs but nope nothing worked. Depressed, Red hug his knees for comfort and looked up at the single ray of sunlight that was given to him. Then he gazed at the pokeballs that held his whole team.

He cannot give up. There must be some way to get out of here.

And he proceeded to try all kinds of escape plans, like throwing a single rock at the cover, or maybe use his spare clothes as a rope, but the single hole was too small. He tried and tried, the time ticking away till night. Now, his only illumination was reduced to a spot of moonlight, so faint and white as he bathe himself under it.

The next day, he did the same thing, thinking up of all sorts of escape ways. He spoon fed the fainted Pikachu, Charmeleon and Wartortle, let Ivysaur photosynthesize in his pokeball under the sunlight. Nibbling on a piece of bread, Red played with Eevee when he took a break from his attempts to get out. And the whole day passed by uneventfully.

The third day, he awoke to a loud thunderclap, and realizing that it was raining, he hurriedly took a container to salvage any amount of water the sky provided. Nibbling on the second piece of bread, his stomach growling way too loudly and in his hunger, he took a fistful of berries, stuffing them into his mouth. And he continued to stare at the hole, yearning to get out. That night, unbeknownst to his pokemon, Red cried himself to sleep for the first time in his life.

The fourth day, he was fortunately left with 3 bottles of water, 4 slices of bread and the bag of berries. And this time, Red could feel his strength dwindling, and decided to pamper himself by eating two slices of bread. But the problem was the team. The only had enough food for 1 more day. The young boy teared up as he ruffled Eevee's fur, Pikachu in an unconscious state beside him, and the rest all in their pokeballs. He did not continue with his attempts to escape; they were hopelessly futile. He was going to die here, like what Giovanni wanted.

Eevee sensed the trembling of her trainer's hand and quickly perked up, gazing at him. Red met her curious eyes and at that moment, he felt the tears coming more than ever. His hands gathered the brown pokemon into his arms, holding her close to his chest. He found his tears wetting Eevee's fur like a waterfall. Sobbing, fear enveloped him. He was scared. He wants to get out. He hated this place.

Eevee squirmed around, not comprehending what was happening and finally she managed to get a peek at her trainer's face that was wet. She yelped, and pawed at his cheeks, trying to wipe away those streaming tears that flowed down. She did not know what to do, as her frantic actions made him cry even harder.

"... I-I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... because of m-me, you're going to ... d-die..." muttered Red, as his body trembled even harder, hugging Eevee even harder. He should not even take that pokeball back in the condominiums. No, he should not have brought his whole team in the first place. Because of him, they were going to die along with him.

"... I want to get out..." he breathed, and Eevee could only give a silent whimper, as she looked up at this fearful child. They were only acquainted four days ago, but she had already took a liking to him. Even she herself did not want to die in this place. She wants to travel with her trainer, battle and train with him, protect him from anything and everything. Protect him from this sad prison. But she could not, and she hated herself for that.

And the two cried themselves to sleep once more.

The eighth day, everyone was at their limit, famished and throats dried. All the bottles of water emptied, not a crumb of bread or pokemon feed left. Red was on his last ropes, as he stared at the spot of sunlight. Now that he thought about it, his eleventh birthday was a few days after. Yet he will not be able to live up till that age. How was he going to die first? Dehydration? Starvation? He did not know.

He wanted to get out of here.

The thought of him being confined suddenly triggered something in his mind as he screamed in agony, clutching his head as tears dripped out his eyes. The ten year old child had been psychologically tortured for eight days, forced to stare at the face of death for eight days, bear an insurmountable amount of guilt and fear for eight days. Eevee dragged her feet over to the boy in alarm as she snuggled close to him, already aware that he was so badly traumatized that he could most likely die, not of starvation or dehydration, but of fear.

He had developed claustrophobia.

Eevee stared at her trainer with wet eyes, feeling so conflicted. She did not want to die, and she wanted to protect him. Finally as a last resort, she shouted in her mind, eyes burning at the spot of sunlight as she directed her wishes up into the sky.

 _Arceus! I'll do anything! So please, let me save my trainer!_

In that instant, a purple light surrounded her brown body, so sudden that even Red stopped in his fit of hysteria to look at the glowing pokemon before him. The purple light morphed white, and blinded Red when a bright flash shone within the depths of this prison.

"Ee...vee?" Red mumbled, uncertain what had happened. That flash of white could only be one thing: the light of evolution. But how in heavens did Eevee evolved when she did not even level up?

"Eevee?" He repeated, as a purplish pokemon with feline features appeared before him. Not the cutesy Eevee he loved, but a whole different one full of elegance. And this pokemon was still glowing purple, the red crystal on her head shining mysteriously.

 _Call me Espeon, Red_. She conveyed her message via telepathy. Even she herself was shocked beyond words, that her wishes were granted by the Creator himself. Daintily, Espeon walked towards her trainer that was stunned, his tears stopping abruptly the moment he experienced telepathy for the first time.

Purring, Espeon leaped onto Red and used her paws to pat his forehead.

 _Relax, we can get out soon, just sleep._

Red, tired from the headache from before, nodded faintly, relief overwhelming him as he dropped deep into sleep. A tear rolled down his wet cheeks as he slumped against the wall, and soon his chest rose up and down, the boy breathing deeply. Smiling, Espeon, in a fluid motion, moved away from Red and tried to focus on her powers. Being a psychic pokemon was not all that bad, really, it was not. But since young, as an Eevee, she had aspired to be a Vaporean, always fantasizing being able to use water type moves with perfect elegance and beauty. Although now, she can never reach that dream.

 _This is alright,_ She told herself. _I protected Red after all._

She did not mind laying down her dreams, her life for this kind boy that is her trainer. She will protect him, no matter what.

And with a bright purple glow, she teleported the whole team back to the Celadon City's Pokecenter.

* * *

 _So? Are you going to help her?_

"... Since you say I should... Alright."

Espeon smiled gently, before she angled her head up and stared at her trainer with a serious expression, catching him by surprise.

 _Out of the six of us, who are you bringing along for your journey in Johto?_

Red pursed his lips, as he clenched his right fist. Indeed, for this new journey, he is definitely going to have new comrades and he will definitely have to pick someone out of the team. This was something he knew he had to answer, and he had already decided.

"... I need to talk to all six of you..."

Oak had been grumpy during the dinner, his usually talkative demeanor about Pokémon lowered by a notch at the table, even when there were some sumptuous dishes whipped out by Elm's wife. And the reason for his displeasure was none other than Green.

His grandson was not in his gym. Again.

It was unbecoming of him to constantly leave his gym vacant, especially with him as a former Champion. Even Agatha had nagged at the old professor incessantly about Green. His grandson's habit also created some problems for him, for he could not relay important messages to his grandson easily. Such as the case about the Major Arcana.

"... Professor Oak?" a familiar voice said across the table. Red was also present at the dining table, and he was so humorously awkward when Elm's wife started a conversation. Oak knew that under that unreadable face, the teen was unexpectedly horrible in speaking to others. There was this one time when Red had stumbled really badly on his words, and Green had laughed at him about it for a full week, which somehow made the boy less inclined to open his mouth. Another reason for his silence was because of his indifference towards many things. He could remain silent the whole while when he feels bored. Red's speech habits were fully known by Oak, his mother and Green. His words will never fail to have a few ellipses here and there.

When Red had asked for permission to roam around the town and nearby routes, Oak allowed him to do so, provided that he comes back before it gets too late. And the boy hurriedly cleaned his plate, gave his thanks for the food, and rushed out.

"Woah. That was fast." Lyra exclaimed, when the teenager exited in a flurry. But soon, she waved him out of her head and continued to munch on her veggies.

Meanwhile, our protagonist ran down the streets of the town, six pokeballs in hand as he dived into the grassy route adjacent to New Bark, and settled down under a large tree, with leaves draping over like an umbrella. Red quickly released all of his pokemon, and all six sat down obediently onto the soft grass, with Snorlax grumbling about his not yet full stomach. Red nodded his head towards Espeon, and the eeveelution worked her psychic powers.

Being a psychic was real handy; she could connect pokemon and people easily to hold conversations. However, her strength could only accomodate a maximum of ten individuals. Thinking back, Mew and Mewtwo were far more adept in telepathy, for the duo were able to hold mass communication. Mew had too flaunted that she could connect the inhabitants of a whole city. It was probably impossible for her to achieve that level of sophistication, but she still practices it.

 _So Red, who are you planning to bring along?_ Venusaur asked.

A long silence followed and the atmosphere got heavy with every ticking second as the pokemon held their breaths. And finally, with a lump in his throat, Red announced in a trembling voice.

"...Pikachu, Charizard... and Espeon.."

Dead silence ensued, as the information sink into the ones who were chosen, and those who were not. Red dug his fingers into the soil, as he muttered.

"... Venu, Blastoise and Snorlax... I'm sorry..."

The three aforementioned gazed at their trainer, and finally Blastoise stepped forward.

 _Red, it's fine, we understand._

 _Yeah! It's alright! Venusaur piped in._

"... So... are you all going to leave...?" The trainer said under bated breath.

 _Huh? What do you mean?_ Said Blastoise, startled at his trainer's question. Red felt a rising surge of guilt as he finally tilted his head up violently, his red eyes drilling into Blastoise as he stared up at the big sized pokemon.

"You know how I do things! I've... always released pokemon when I have to leave them... it's a lonely thing to put them into the storage system... and I don't even know when... will we meet again! I don't want to take away your freedom! So please tell me... if you all are going to-"

His words were cut short abruptly when huge fat paws gripped him by the sides gently, and soon he was lifted up, his legs dangling in mid-air as he came face to face with none other than Snorlax. Even the rest of the team were astonished; Snorlax rarely takes action outside of battles. And what made them flabbergasted was the alarming shade of red on his face.

Pikachu held his breath as he stared at his teammate. Snorlax was almost never seen to be this angry before. The only time he ever did was the time when Red used the Pokéflute to wake him up when he was blocking the route. Normally in cases such as this, Pikachu would have interfered and zapped Snorlax to make him put Red down. However this time, the electric mouse kept quiet as he observed what was going to unfold.

 _Don't you, ever, ever, ever think that we will leave you! Don't you ever, ever, ever ask that kind of question in my face!_ He huffed angrily.

 _Do you still remember that time we managed to conquer the League, and made everyone eat their words when they thought that we were weak? Just because we trained for only a year? What do you think made us go further up ahead than anyone else!?_

Finally, the pokemon roared out the words he wanted to express out the most.

 _Are the times and bonds we created together so insignificant to you that you could blatantly ask us if we wanted to leave you?!_

Red stifled his breath, as he stared wide-eyed at Snorlax's small horizontal eyes. Snorlax's words triggered the memories of them training, battling and having fun together, and soon the boy found a tear rolling down his cheeks. With the sunset as the backdrop, its hues of orange and yellow giving the earth its last few sun rays of warmth, the trainer named Red spoke.

"... I can't forget... I can never... forget... forgive me..."

More tears followed and Snorlax also started bawling, knowing full well that tomorrow might just be the last day he will ever see his beloved trainer. The child that had the nerve to wake him up that day, the child that trained him to part of a team, was now bigger and stronger. Snorlax could feel the heavier weight of his trainer, the proof of the boy all grown-up. Red patted the normal type's thin fur, as he smiled.

Snorlax then put his trainer back onto ground level, before he dropped onto the grass and continued to cry his eyes out like a baby. Red moved forward, reaching out for his forehead and gave the normal type a few pats. Wiping away his tears, the trainer turned to face Blastoise and Venusaur. The water starter still had a serious expression on his face, while the grass starter was already crying.

 _Red. Like what Snor said, we will always be here for you. Don't worry about us, that professor will take care of us. We will definitely meet again._ Said the tortoise like Pokémon, a reassuring smile plastered on his face.

At that instance, Red flung himself onto the large water type, the Squirtle that he had took care of years ago, the Kanto starter that he had trained, evolved and grew up with. Blastoise returned his hug, the usually serious Pokémon having wet eyes. After a long while, Red tored away from the Blastoise's giant body and walked towards the sobbing Venusaur.

 _I'll miss you..._ Venusaur said with a whimper, and Red quickly embraced the Seed Pokémon, his arms around his rough and thick neck. The flower on Venusaur's back seemed to dull in color as he growled softly.

Minutes later, when the three Pokémon and Red had sorted out their emotions, Blastoise glared at Charizard, wearing an even more serious expression on his face.

 _Take care of him. If anything happens-_

 _You don't need to say it. We know what to do, right, Pikachu?_

 _He's our trainer after all._

And the whole team exchanged grins as they surrounded Red, who beamed at his pokemon.

"... Let's do a group huddle." Red suggested, and the whole team nodded enthusiastically. Soon, Red sat onto Blastoise's shoulders, Pikachu on Charizard's and Espeon on Snorlax's. Venusaur managed to stand on twos, trying to balance himself with the heavy flower on his back. And all seven individuals formed a circle and huddled up.

 _This team will never end!_ Their roars resounded into the falling night, leaves rustling as a loud breeze swept past the legendary team of the Undefeated Champion.

* * *

Something was pressing onto his face. Really hard. Red struggled to open his tired eyelids, a sea of yellow spreading before him. The teenager smacked the bed sheets many times, feeling suffocated by the body press of the electric mouse that sat on his face. His legs kicking the blanket away as he sat up, the yellow mouse still glued onto his face. He did not know how did his buddy managed to defy gravity while sleeping, and him sleepwalking onto his face was something to marvel upon. Red opened his mouth, his lips brushing against the yellow fur of Pikachu as he tried to shout the rodent awake, but his voice was simply muted by the Pokémon's belly. Exasperated, the trainer grabbed the mouse by his collar, and soon he stared at the drooling mouse, who had an ignorantly large bubble hanging from his nostrils.

Red grinned, his fingers creeping up onto the sleeping beauty, getting ready to tickle Pikachu.

Squeals and zaps of electricity were transmitted out of Pikachu as he wriggled around, laughing crazily, tears of surprise leaking out of his eyes. Red chuckled and tickled his friend a few more times, before he decided that it was time for breakfast.

Not to forget the start of their Johto journey.

He had packed everything last night with the help of Professor Oak, who had too stayed overnight, to assist him in setting out today at 10 am. Strolling down the stairs, he paid his morning greetings to the professors and the assistants who had came to work early. Fortunately, none of the assistants had jumped onto him, for all were people of the morning shift.

His pokemon were all at the ranch enjoying their sumptuous breakfast, the assistants forbidden to go near them and stick their nose unnecessarily. It was a relief for Red, or else he might get bombarded with questions by those science geeks.

After breakfast, he had told Lyra on how he is willing to help, and the girl profusely thanked the trainer, before passing him a picture of the boy named Silver, before excusing herself to go to the lab. He had also scanned the photograph and saved it into his Xtransceiver, lest he loses it during his travels.

Noticing that there was only one hour left before he will leave this town, Red scurried to the guestroom to arrange everything in place and retrieve his backpack. Within fifteen minutes, the room was now neat. Red gave a satisfied nod, slung his backpack on one shoulder, habitually picking his red cap that hung at the corner of the bedpost. He was cautious enough to not wear his cap and trademark vest yet, or else the assistants may come like moths attracted to light.

Without further ado, he rushed down to the first floor, whizzed past the dining table and into the ranch, creating a gust of wind that momentarily shocked the adults chatting at the table.

In the ranch, the team of six had filled their bellies except for Snorlax, who was still stuffing himself with the ten bags of Pokémon feed. Meanwhile the others greeted him joyfully, with Espeon using her psychic powers to communicate with him telepathically.

"... Morning" he said, before he gazed at Venusaur, Blastoise and Snorlax with a forlorn expression. The trainer held out three Pokéballs, and Espeon, Pikachu and Charizard knew immediately that it was time to go.

 _I guess this is goodbye..._

"Yeah..." Red replied, as he frowned slightly.

 _Take good care of yourself, Red._

 _We'll miss you!_

 _Have a safe trip!_

Nodding, Red gestured towards the trio that was going to accompany him, and soon Espeon, Pikachu and Charizard returned to their Pokéballs, the telepathy connection cut off. The trainer stared at the remaining three, and despite him unable to hear their voices, Red gave a small smile as he bid his farewell.

"Until we meet again."

Steeling his resolve, Red turned and stepped back into the house. Staring at the broad back of their trainer, all three pokemon knew that their trainer will be fine.

He will be fine.


	8. Chapter 8: Villians Prelude

Villians Prelude

"...Stay there..." he panted while holding onto his knees to support his tired self. Meanwhile, directly opposite him, Pikachu hissed and got ready to pounce onto the target. Red stared at the flustered pokemon as he cautiously stepped forward, his facial muscles aching from his forced smile. The lime-green pokemon frantically turned to his left and found it to be blocked by Espeon, while on his right was obstructed by Charizard, and all four beings started to close in onto Chikorita.

He yelped, and then hid deeper into the grass, the huge leaf on his head trembling in fear. Whimpering, he simply wished to be left alone by these predators. He could feel the static shock of the yellow fur ball, the psychic aura of the purple cat and the hot breath of the draconic creature. He could imagine his body getting torn into shreds by those claws, electrocuted till his nerves breaks, mind controlled by those psychic waves of terror. A hundred lives will never be enough in the face of such scary species. But even the worse was not among them.

The leaf on his head twitched as he sensed the suspenseful footsteps of the demon king. He dared not raise his head and make eye contact with those bloody eyes of ferocity.

Why did he get such a scary trainer?

When the lime-green pokemon had burst out from the pokeball, his expectations of an innocent ten year old trainer excited him. Balancing himself unsteadily on his four stubby limbs, he turned to get a good look at his new babysitter. Sadly, he drew the short straw.

It was an unexpectedly tall human draped with a cloak of darkness, and he could picture the hooded figure carrying a scythe, all reaper like. His pale complexion aggravated the deathly feel, and the top half of his head was also veiled by the hood. Daunting enough.

But it did not stop there when the human gazed downwards, revealing a pair of flaming red eyes. His trainer's eyes were of a perfect almond shape, the size of the pupils rather large, but it is the color that made everything looked so unnerving. It was like a storm of wind, fire and ice brewing within his stare, and to Chikorita, he was meeting an unbelievable and fearless being of intensity. Immediately after, the starter pokemon had dived into the grass patches of Route 29, and soon the whole team played one and a half hours of hide and seek. At least Red managed to benefit by catching a Sentret during their game of tag.

Exhausted, the trainer decided to end this once and for all. He felt guilty for cornering the tiny starter pokemon, but he had no choice since everyone's stomachs were groaning for lunch. It somehow hurts his pride after getting rejected by a pokemon, but he could only blame his impassiveness after spending the long years on Mt Silver. Red had tried multiple times to soften the stoic look on his face, but his expression was so unnatural that it freaked Chikorita out even more. Even the trio were trying hard to not appear scary. No matter what they tried, it felt like four bullies ganging up on a single helpless victim. The whole team was at a loss, for they had always dealt with tough and high-leveled pokemon during the last few years and suddenly here they have to console a jittery level five pokemon.

 _Chikorita, I need you to calm down._ Espeon said via telepathy. However, it did not make the new pokemon any calmer at all, instead, he buried his head deeper into the grass. Pikachu ceased his hissing, while the eager Charizard got even closer to the fearful grass type.

 _This won't do, Red, this guy's way too intimidated._ Pikachu sighed, and the trainer gave a tired nod. He signaled all of them to regroup and soon no one surrounded the cowering Chikorita. After a long while, the grass type starter raised his neck and observed that the scary trainer had left. Chikorita looked out of the grass, thinking what he should do since he was somehow freed from his trainer. Taking in the smell of nature, he ambled and wandered around, feeling relieved after the scary ordeal. Maybe his trainer had given up and decided to release it back into the wild. It was a new experience for him since he was born in the lab and had been living in the ranch for all his life. He might as well enjoy this relaxing situation before finding his way back to Professor Elm.

Chikorita continued to travel through the dense and tall grass, his leaf swishing left and right to part the long grass blades. Another swish and before him appeared a surprised Sentret, who swiftly propped itself up with its bushy tail. The pokemon stared down at the sudden disturbance, trying to determine whether he is an enemy, and immediately panicked when it did not recognize this queer looking pokemon. The Sentret start whacking the ground hard with its tail and its loud screech shook the air, while the clueless Chikorita simply cocked his head to one side, a question mark floating above him.

The sudden stampede of Sentrets caught the unaware Chikorita off-guard and he started fleeing for his life after a few seconds of comprehension. The troop chased after the poor pokemon, who tried to fend off the army. He thought of the possibility of winning against the scaredy-Sentrets if it was a one-on-one battle, but he was neither experienced in battling, nor good against a whole mob of wild pokemon. His stubby limbs slowed him down, his low speed stat dragging him back, making the situation even more hopeless. The Sentrets were now a lot more braver as a group and Chikorita was sure that he would get caught in no time.

A few violent bumps and scratches on the back coldly reminded the starter pokemon that he was simply a weak pokemon, and suddenly the memory of the scary trainer returned to his mind. Now that he thought about it, the demon king was actually trying to calm him down with his scary minions. Maybe he should have tried to understand what was underneath that intimidating appearance, maybe he should have gone with him to get stronger. But now was not the time for regrets since he was still in the midst of escaping. _Ah, they're getting closer_ , he thought.

 _I wish he was here._

"...Pikachu... Thundershock..."

A bright and sharp blast of lightning lit up the place behind him, sending strangled cries of the Sentrets up into the air. Chikorita felt multiple jolts along his back, his leaf standing vertically upright. He could smell the smoldering of grass and the static that momentarily paralyzed his limbs. Losing his balance, Chikorita landed softly on his backside as he turned behind. Giving a silent gulp, his pupil-less red eyes surveyed the damage.

All the Sentrets, which was around twenty of them, were all knocked out, their fur spiking out from the attack, spirals replacing their tiny eyes. The grass was scorched, all black and singeing, and he could see the faint strands of electricity shocking the air around. It was as if judgement from the heavens had struck the Earth with a bolt of lightning, or a savior of tremendous power had came to save him.

 _Are you alright?_

Chikorita turned to look and found the chubby yellow mouse from before sprinting towards him with a worried expression. Trailing behind the mouse, was the purple cat and the orange dragon.

 _Espeon, that's why I told you its a bad idea to leave him like this!_ The dragon grumbled.

 _It's fine, I was keeping tabs on him anyways._ Replied the feline. _Oh, are you alright?_

 _Uh... Yeah, thanks..._

 _You know, it isn't me that you should thank._ Chuckled the mouse.

Chikorita tensed up and looked at the faraway figure that was slowly coming over. The grass-type starter widened his eyes in surprise when he finally got the full picture of the scary trainer. The afternoon sun shone over the figure brightly, and this time, it was not a reaper, but instead a human, who donned a black shirt and a bright red vest over it. The white collar of the vest was turned up, sporting a cool look on the trainer. He wore fingerless gloves and held onto another bright red-white cap in his right hand. His messy jet-black hair was flattened on his head, while his pale complexion was no different from before. With a sharp chin and nose, he did not look bad for a human. But what made him look so intimidating was those red eyes.

It was simply red everywhere, as if he represented the color of anger, danger, power, fire, blood and desire itself. Chikorita felt a fiery chill running down his nerves, as he stared at the living legend who is going to be his trainer. This trainer will make him stronger, and the starter knew that there will be a roller coaster to ride on if he joined the team.

Red crouched down, and Chikorita gingerly moved forward, his big red eyes staring at Red's full of wonder and fear. He let out a quick chirp as he scooted closer, and finally he stammered through telepathy.

 _T-Thank you!_

Chikorita awaited the trainer's response with the leaf on his head still trembling, teeth chattering. Red, surprised, paused for a few seconds. Finally, he smile and bent his head forward with a softened look in his eyes.

"You're welcome."

The grass type blushed a little and scooted closer to the trainer, wanting to apologize for his previous actions that made the rest run around like idiots. Before he could speak via telepathy, the red-white cap was pushed onto his head gently.

"... The name's Red, from Kanto..."

 _Charizard here!_

 _Espeon._

 _I'm Pikachu._

"Welcome to the team, Chikorita."

* * *

The waitress gave a suspicious glance at the cloaked customer. The pokemon society is open about everything, so it was unnerving to have such a mysterious person waltz into their pokemon restaurant. He ordered quite a lot, with two jumbo sized and two middle sized pokemon lunch sets, a bowl of tonkotsu ramen and a strawberry smoothie. Their restaurant provided pokemon food, and the seats were all bigger to accommodate larger sized pokemon. She had worked here for a good two years and this is the first time she had seen such a gigantic Charizard.

She then scurried off to send his order, having wild imaginations of the customer being a terrorist or a runaway criminal.

Meanwhile, Red simply sighed as his stomach growled for lunch. Nevermind that, he don't even know whether it is lunch at four in the afternoon. He had spent a short time in Route 30 and earned a teensy amount of pokedollars from battles, then skipped the boring and bland Cherrygrove City since there weren't any pokemon restaurants, although he managed to get a useful map of the Johto region from a Guide Gentleman. In Route 31, he caught two bug types, battled another trainer, and Chikorita was now at level 9. With his body hungering for food, he had ignored the Dark Cave completely.

Still, he was concerned about his appearance and wondered if it was the right choice to enter Violet City while being shrouded by a cloak. Even the guard had shot a suspicious glance when he dashed past the guard house. And even within the restaurant, he detected a few dubious looks from the other customers.

Sighing again, he did not even notice the waitress placing the food on the table. When he found his whole team wolfing down their lunch, his eyes sparkled when he saw the tall cup of strawberry smoothie and steaming bowl of ramen that was set on the table. Ah, smoothies and ramen, how much he had missed them.

Sipping on the drink, a dreamy expression formed on his face as he tasted the mild sweetness of the red berry. Then he slurped on his noodles, and savored the salty broth, euphoria sweeping over him as he wondered why the hell did he stayed up on Mt Silver when he could just live with such amazing food. Lost in his happiness, he gave a rare silly grin and Pikachu was almost freaking out when he discovered that abnormal expression on his trainer's face.

"-looked like the Champion Red!"

The spit take he just did sprayed all over Pikachu. The mouse almost electrocuted the boy in a fit of annoyance, and Espeon barely prevented her trainer from getting paralyzed by swiftly teleporting Red to the adjacent empty seat. Groaning, Pikachu grabbed a wad of tissue to clean himself while Red coughed and hit his chest violently. What the hell did he just overheard?

Calming himself down, the wary teenager listened to the conversation between the female duo that sat behind him.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. My cousin that works at the, you know, Elm Pokemon Lab in New Bark. He told me some guy came to the lab yesterday. Apparently he looked a lot like the Red, and even had the same cap!"

"Maybe it's just a fan dressing up as him. He's still famous, isn't he?"

"But, but, he was accompanied by that Professor Oak! No ordinary person will be accompanied by that professor!"

"Serious? Do you have a picture?"

"No, he isn't allowed to use the phone during working hours."

"Then that's just hearsay, but then again, it'll be cool if that guy make his comeback as a trainer."

"Well, duh. I'm his fan!"

"First time I've heard that. Youngest Champion huh... that sounds pretty awesome."

"Of course! Did you watch his matches during the Kanto League Championship? His Charizard and Blastoise were great! And, and, his Pikachu and Espeon were so strong!"

"Chill, girl, you're shouting already."

"... You guys too..." Red muttered with a dull expression, as the three aforementioned started choking on their food as well. Chikorita looked at the others with a confused expression, not understanding what was happening. All three grumbled and quickly finished off the last bit of their food, with Red trying to hold in his laughter as he covered his mouth. The clueless Chikorita followed suit and hurriedly munch down the last piece of lettuce. Finally, Charizard, Espeon and Chikorita hastily returned to their pokeballs, while Pikachu nudged Red to finish his ramen and smoothie. They need to leave, like right now.

Pulling the hood lower, Red got up and swept past the female duo, who paused their chatter as they gazed at the cloaked figure. The trainer tried very hard to avoid eye contact with anyone, and quickly paid for the food at the counter. Soon, the glass doors of the restaurant clinked as the mysterious person left.

"Hey, what if that was Champion Red?" one of the girls suggested.

* * *

Out in the open, Red walked along the streets, his sneakers scraping against the cobbled pavement, while Pikachu enjoyed the city's liveliness on his shoulders. Many passers-by were still giving him doubtful glances, making him feel really uncomfortable. He quickened his steps as he scanned the tall buildings to search for a certain place.

Ah, there it is.

A multi-storied building with Japanese styled roofs stood far off in a distance, and was easily the most flashy structure in the city with its blue-black tiled roofs and a bronze falcon standing high and mighty at the top. At the highest floor, he spotted an open space with many vermilion columns, which was probably the arena. Red walked faster and got closer to the tower, and sure enough, a proud Shinto gate stood at the entrance. On the building itself, a symbol glimmered a shiny metal. It had a squarish U shape, with vertical stripe patterns on the sides. Above it, the Pokemon League logo was significantly larger, with its pokeball shape glinting gold.

Since it is the first gym in the Johto League, it will be an easy battle and Red could use it as an opportunity for leveling Chikorita up. From the looks of it, the Violet City Gym specializes in flying types, so he will have to strengthen the disadvantaged Chikorita. Thinking of going back to Route 30 to start grinding some levels, Red strolled away from the gym. He was then broken away from his train of thought by Pikachu's squeaks and pokes, finally aware of the modulated voice that had been calling out to him.

"Excuse me."

Red turned back and intuitively lowered his head, taking note to hide his face as much as possible. His eyes studied the older person, while Pikachu leaped off his shoulders and settled on the ground.

It was a guy who had neat blue hair, where a part of his fringe covered his right eye, while the remaining visible left iris was of a beautiful marine blue. Complementing his blue features, he wore a denim colored hakama that was shortened at the legs, a short turquoise haori with short sleeves and white buttons worn over the traditional clothing. White socks that reached beyond his knees were worn along with a pair of black sandals. His black wristbands were bordered red, and on a whole, he was dressed very Japanese-like.

"My apologies for bothering you, but might you be from out of town?"

Red nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry, but your current appearance is troubling many of the city folk. Would it be alright for you to remove your cloak?" The guy requested.

Red pursed his lips as his mind tackled the current situation. He had predicted that this will happen, since masking himself as a shady character is not a really good idea. Even so, he cannot just expose himself like this since he might be identifiable with his conspicuous red vest.

"... Can I remove just the hood...?"

"Well, it does not seem to be a problem, so please do."

Red glanced sideways, rather perturbed by the increasing masses of people, and most were pointing excitedly towards the blue-haired guy. Sighing, he thought of getting this over and done with, and if anyone managed to identify him, he can only curse his own bad luck and then make a run for it. His hands grabbed the sides of the hood, pushed the fabric down, and immediate silence followed after. A few seconds later, mutters and soft words erupted among the crowd, with a few young girls gasping over his attractive face.

"Red eyes..."

"... Quite the rare eye color..."

"... Isn't he totally hot?"

"... So he's not anyone fishy..."

The teenager fidgeted uneasily, his hands itching to pull down the hood again. The blue-haired guy noticed his discomfort and hurriedly signaled him that he is free to go, and Red nodded gratefully, before he shuffled off. He and Pikachu almost broke into a mad dash when some females tried to approach him, and soon the hooded figure and pokemon disappeared from the main street.

Meanwhile, the blue haired guy got ready to enter the gym when suddenly a huge crowd surrounded him, a couple of them asking for his autograph. The Gym Leader sighed and went along with the fans, questions and comments bombarding him while he wrote his signature on the many pieces of paper.

It did not take a long while and soon he was done. Waving farewells to the bubbling fans, he went up the short flight of steps that leads to his gym. Remembering the mysterious fellow from before, he could not help but feel a sense of familiarity from that face. Red eyes were rare, and he swore he saw those kind of eyes before.

Shrugging his shoulders, Falkner entered the Violet City Gym.

* * *

The sky was colored a dark twilight, with white glitter sprinkled across the beautiful background. The sleepy Red trudged towards a pokemart, wanting to replenish his supply of adventuring items. He had spent the last two plus hours training Chikorita, by going up Sprout Tower to battle all the trainers, and running off to Route 31 to pick some fights with the wild pokemon.

The double glass doors of the mart slid open as a programmed voice called out "thank you for shopping with us" and Red plodded out of the mart, his shoulders sore with his backpack filled with stuff. The cashier guy had gave him a despaired look when he arrived at the counter with the countless amount of products. Meanwhile, many people were still judging him with curious looks as he crossed the streets.

It did not take long for Red to find a small inn tucked between the concrete giants of the city. The place did not fit well within the metropolis, the wooden house obscured by the neon city lights and signboards. Pushing a few pieces of cash onto the counter, Red was instantly given a key and soon he ascended the rickety steps to go to his room. He liked staying at inns as compared to the posh hotels, since anyone is welcomed to stay as long as you pay the lodging fees. No questions were asked and practically no one cares where he comes from, making it a quiet and cheap place where he could sleep in peace.

Twisting the slightly rusted doorknob, Red pushed with much force and finally the creaky birch door swung open, the hinges groaning. The room was not all that big, and had a simplistic bathroom fitted at the corner. Red threw his heavy bag onto the bed, released the whole gang, and then headed for the shower. Pikachu yawned and stretched when he was finally out of the pokeball, evidently a little irked about being kept inside the red-white device, while Espeon and Chikorita curled themselves up and slept. Charizard was however, still full of energy as he checked out the constricted interior of their sleeping quarters. He grew bored quickly and soon cuddled beside the rest of his sleeping teammates.

It took a good ten minutes for Red to be done with showering and he came out with his hair damp, wearing a casual set of clothes that served as his sleepwear. The view of his whole team snoozing off together brought a small smile to his face, and soon the teenager went to dry his hair so he could get an early lights out. At eleven sharp, he climbed into the warm covers of the bed, eager to fall back into his dreamland.

Tomorrow, he'll go for his first Johto Gym Badge, and slowly the next one, then the next, and the next and then he will complete the two weeks goal in time. The trainer then faced the ceiling, his eyelids growing heavy from lethargy and soon he fell asleep.

* * *

The tall, lanky man's court shoes clacked against the marble floor, the black leather glimmering with every step. He wore a recently laundered suit that allowed no creases on its immaculate material, the branded clothing showing off his wealth.

The sheer darkness of the wide study obscured his face, as the shadowy man walked forward. The shelves that lined the room were crammed with books of varying thickness, fossil and bug specimens filling the empty spaces on the wall. He strode past a classy dartboard, then a display case where a globe made of gold and creepy skull were sitting inside it. He stopped for a moment, his hollow black eyes gazing at the framed painting that occupied the next section of the wall.

It was an abstract painting of only two colors: a black background and a frighteningly bright red that slapped across the medium-sized canvas. The man gave a delighted laugh, as his black eyes went even darker. He continued to walk forward, and finally he arrived at his study table. His fingers lightly touched the finely crafted table, and soon he sat in the huge armchair that was placed right behind the elegant furniture. He then started meditating, fingers interlacing with eyes closed. And over the duration of fifteen minutes, his eerie smile and white teeth lit the room up capriciously.

A knock to the door made him replied with a grunt, and his eyes remained close as a refined butler came in.

"Sire, a good night to you." said the butler.

"A good night indeed, Brutus. Where's my coffee?" The man asked.

"Sire, 's going to be midnight."

"The night's my territory, give me my coffee."

"As you wish."

The butler walked over to the study table, his footsteps silent like that of an assassin. He is a middle-aged man with a physically strong body, and had similar black eyes as his master's, but it lacked the bloodlust the other man possessed. Soon, he set an ornate coffee cup on the mahogany wooden table, and bowed slightly. Serving him for a more than ten years, the butler could observe that the master was in an unusually good mood tonight. He was rarely seen smiling from ear to ear very often, and whenever he did, it was because he had some vile schemes going on in his head. Assuming that he was not needed anymore, the butler got ready to leave.

"The report, Brutus, the report."

"Ah yes, Sire. He left the town just today, and had reached Violet City at late afternoon."

"What else?"

"The plan's going well, and the League is going to take action as well."

"I see, you may leave."

The butler nodded and departed quietly.

Suddenly, a nefarious cackle ringed throughout the room, as the man's black eyes glinted wickedly, his smile getting more and more crooked by the second. He stood up and continued laughing like a madman. His eyes got crazed and more bloodshot, forming a horrendous expression on his face. Body trembling from his excitement, the psychopath danced around in glee.

After five minutes passed, he calmed down and sat back into his chair. Sighily dreamily, the man picked up his coffee and sipped the drink slowly, he then stared into his reflection inside the cup.

The gears were slowly coming together and now he can finally seek out for his goal. The characters will soon be assembled. Swirling the coffee, the man sighed.

"Tonight's a good night,"

A foreboding wind blasted the curtains open as moonlight drowned the study. The man then smirked and purred,

"Isn't it, Red?"


	9. Chapter 9: Battle for the Zephyr Badge

Battle for the Zephyr Badge

The blue-haired trainer waltzed out of his house and walked along the streets of the city. He greeted the old owner of the convenience store, bought a dozen cream puffs from the bakery and got a free cup of coffee from the nice cafe guy. Sipping the aromatic drink, he continued strolling. A few kids and people got up to him, said a good morning, and asked for his autograph. The encounter did not take long and soon he went straight towards the oriental building, with a cream puff stuffed inside his mouth.

Falkner passed by the Shinto gate and climbed the stairs. He then pushed open the door of the Leader's quarters as he munched on the fourth cream puff. A familiar person stood inside, her black eyes glaring at him. She was quite the beauty, with her purple hair tied up into two tiny buns, her petite figure dressed in a dainty miko attire, the clothing a little too big for her short stature. In this Gym, she acted as an adviser to the Leader, and made sure he did his work.

"Mmff, Ishuzru, moof morming." said Falkner with a mouthful of cream and puff. Gulping down the food, he found her storming towards him with apprehending steps.

"It's Isuzu, stupid Falkner. You're late." She pouted as she stared up at him. The height difference between them was pretty huge, since Isuzu was almost as short as a nine-year old child.

"Sorry." said Falkner as he patted her head. Isuzu growled in annoyance, and wriggled away from the Gym Leader's head. She then pointed at his face with an amused look.

"Cream. on. Face." She giggled. Falkner sighed and quickly took out a tissue paper to clean his cheeks. He then walked past her and set his stuff on the table. The Leader's quarters was simplistic, with only a chair and a table, since his real workplace was in the arena. His trainer rank as a Gym Leader was all thanks to his father, who had went off to Sinnoh to take a permanent breather. Meanwhile, Isuzu tiptoed and gazed downwards from the window, and widened her eyes in surprise.

"Falkner. Challenger. Early. Hood."

"Speak in proper sentences."

"There's a hooded guy walking towards the Gym. Rather early for a challenger."

Falkner rushed over to the window, and indeed, the same guy he met yesterday was marching into the building. That high leveled Pikachu was also perching on his shoulders, which made things all the more exciting.

"Do you want the juniors to test his skills before he fights you? Isuzu asked. Falkner shook his head and turned back, ready to head off to the arena.

"No, please set up everything in fifteen minutes."

He exited the room, the blue-haired seventeen year old ascending the staircase that leads to the top floor. Isuzu smiled and moved out to get ready.

Red gazed up at the tower, his hand blocking the glaring morning sunlight, red eyes glinting. He then pulled his hood lower and sauntered through the opened double doors of the Gym. Pikachu sat on his shoulder, scanning the interior of the Gym. The first floor was as usual, with pokemon statues on the left and the right. A man stood by solemnly on the right, and gave a silent nod. His presence was enough to tell the guide that he needed no help, since this was not his first Gym battle.

"...Pikachu, return..." he nudged the mouse, who reluctantly went back into his pokeball.

Red then slowly walked across the creaky bridge that stretched before him. Upon stepping onto a circular platform, he was enclosed into a tube-like structure that rose all the way up. Bracing himself, the platform shot upwards like a spring, sending the trainer to his destination.

Getting up to his feet, Red surveyed the arena that loomed around him. It looked high class with the ornate phoenix carvings on the walls, and the vermilion columns that towered towards the ceiling. At the right side of the arena, a giant screen hanged from above, displaying the Pokemon League symbol. Taking in the oriental atmosphere, he glanced at the Gym setting. The absence of Gym Trainers made him frantic as he looked around for any signs of rookies lurking around. This was a queer situation, but when he laid eyes onto a blue-haired teenager that stood across the field, Red went quiet. Getting closer, he recognized the guy as the one that approached him yesterday.

"Welcome, red-eyed challenger." said Falkner.

Red held his breath, finally realizing who he was talking to.

"... So you're... the Gym Leader..." Red uttered in a low voice.

"Yes, the name's Falkner." he said while giving a short bow. "Easy or difficult?"

"... Pardon?"

"An easy or difficult battle. Well, usually I do easy since this Gym is the first gym in the Johto League, but you have that Pikachu with you. What's your choice?"

Red paused and gave some thought for the matter. His main purpose was to raise Chikorita's level, but since he got the chance to properly enjoy a tough battle...

"...Can I... do both?"

Falkner smiled and answered, "Certainly. How about a four on four, my first two are easy, while the last two are part of my team?"

Red nodded in reply, taking out the remaining three pokeballs from his backpack while Falkner went to a tall platform and picked out four pokeballs. Gym Leader and Trainer stood opposite each other, until a chirpy voice called out.

"That mister over there, can you please tell us your name? It's compulsory to register for a gym battle."

Red looked across the room and was slightly surprised to find a fun-sized girl carrying an over-sized laptop. He faltered for a moment, trying to decide if he should tell them his name.

"...R-red..."

Isuzu and Falkner glanced at each other, then both turned to look at the challenger. No, they had not heard it wrongly, his name is the same as the Undefeated Champion. Red eyes and black hair, exactly like the person himself. Falkner then signaled to Isuzu, prompting her to reveal his identity.

"Please remove your cloak." She said firmly.

The challenger backed away suddenly, seemingly afraid of showing himself. After a few seconds, he sighed in resignation and unbuttoned the long piece of clothing. Isuzu held her breath as she clicked on a picture of the eleven year old Red she had found online. Meanwhile Falkner stared intently at the challenger, waiting for the truth to be unveiled. Soon, the black cloak was removed, the tall trainer in full view.

Isuzu yelped excitedly, as she swayed uneasily with the heavy laptop. Meanwhile, Falkner just smiled and then shouted.

"Shall we begin the match?"

* * *

"Hmm, that Chikori-, no, Bayleef, isn't half bad." said Falkner as his beaten up pokemon was reduced to a small flash of light, and returned to its pokeball. Before him, the previously level fifteen Chikorita had just filled its EXP points and rose to the next level, triggering an evolution.

He developed a beautiful shade of cream yellow and grew to resemble a sauropod dinosaur or lizard. The soft leaf on his head had sharpened and had the shape of a scythe. Curled leaf-like growths were sticking out of his neck, and his red irises finally have black pupils.

Well, his main purpose was to increase his level, and the evolution came like a perfect present for Red. Falkner chuckled and released his second "easy" pokemon. The Pidgeotto that emerged flapped its wings violently as it glared at Bayleef. The screen then displayed each of their HP points respectively: Pidgeotto at 100%, Bayleef at 62%.

"Pidgeotto! Gust!" Falkner shouted, and his pokemon immediately whipped up a gale of slicing wind, attacking Bayleef head on. The grass type suffered the full brunt of the flying move and tumbled backwards, half of his remaining HP points lost. Bayleef stood his ground as he waited for battle commands.

"... Synthesis..." the soft voice of his trainer resounding in Bayleef's head.

The next instant, a glowing light covered the scythe-like leaf on Bayleef's head, regaining his HP quickly. Falkner hurriedly turned to the status screen, slightly annoyed that Bayleef's HP was back to green.

"Pidgeotto, Gust."

"... Jump, then use Razor Leaf."

Another gale was blown dangerously towards the grass type, who instead reacted to the battle command and leaped up, dodging the attack. In mid air, all movements went slow motion. Pidgeotto flapped its wings, thinking that it will win since its foe was in the flying territory, but what shocked the bird were the deadly curved leaves that came soaring across the air, their razor sharpness with the intent of victory. And at that moment, it knew that this Razor Leaf was not just a grass-type move.

"... Razor Leaf."

The foe sent another round of attacks all in mid air, the many leaves whittling down his health to two-thirds. The too-green leaves zoomed forward, slicing the bird a few more times, and finally Bayleef stopped as soon as it landed on the ground. Pidgeotto squawked angrily, somewhat humiliated that it could be damaged so easily.

"Gust, then charge in and tackle!" yelled Falkner.

Pidgeotto did as it was told, sending yet another gale, its wings flapping ferociously. Then, while the wind headed towards Bayleef, Pidgeotto dived into the wind, ignoring the pain as it propelled itself towards the grass type, bonking its foe on the head. Bayleef squealed as it barely dodged the tackle, while being hurt by the flying move. His HP bar was now back to yellow. Anxiety got to the pokemon as he turned to Red, his eyes calling for help.

Red stared at his pokemon, and gave a smile, as if telling Bayleef to choose what move he wanted to execute. Bayleef nodded, unsure and unsteady as he faced Pidgeotto, who was going for another Tackle. In a similar motion, the grass type charged forward. Falkner clenched his fists, anticipating the same attack by the opponent. But everything went against his expectations when the cream colored shadow whizzed past Pidgeotto, neither attacks hitting each other. Miraculously, Bayleef had pulled off a feint.

Pidgeotto skidded to a stop, its claws scratching the field pretty badly, and it quickly turned around to look at Bayleef. To its dilemma, dozens of leaves aimed towards Pidgeotto, who was totally caught off-guard. Shrieking, the bird was pushed backwards as the move smack and cut him painfully, his HP depleted instantly to the red bar. With its energy drained and on the verge of fainting, pushing itself up was a hard task.

"Pidgeot, Roost!" Falkner called out, getting agitated. This trainer was crazy, letting Bayleef deciding what move he wanted to use. That Pokemon was probably with him for only a day or two, and yet he could make it battle to such an extent?

Meanwhile, the move Roost made astral feathers appeared around Pidgeotto, and the feathers faded away the moment they touched the pokemon. Just barely, Falkner's pokemon managed to regain half of its HP. Thinking that they had got the upper hand again, that voice broke them away from their initial thoughts.

"..Synthesis..."

Falkner gasped, as Bayleef's leaf glowed white again, refueling the pokemon's HP. Gritting his teeth, the Gym Leader was aware that he cannot use Gust until the next turn, so how this battle will end will be totally on the opposing pair's tenacity. Bayleef geared himself up, while Red decided to finish this quickly.

"..Energy Ball..." Red said as he raised two fingers.

The dumbstruck Pidgeotto was unable to dodge the greenish-blue ball of energy that was shot in a straight path, damaging the bird severely.

"Not yet! Tackle!"

Pidgeotto rushed in to attack, but was stopped short when Red prompted Bayleef to release another Energy Ball. In a matter of seconds, Pidgeotto fainted, its body limped on the cold metal, defeat marked by the spirals in its eyes. Isuzu hurriedly raised her arm into the air and shouted, "P-Pidgeotto is unable to fight, it's Bayleef's win!"

"Pidgeotto, return." said Falkner with a solemn tone, and yet another flash of red light returned to the pokeball in his hand. He then move towards Red, taking out the Violet City Gym Badge and a small disc as he walked forward.

"Since you defeated me as necessary, I bestow you the Zephyr Badge. It allows pokemon up to level 20 to obey you, as well as allowing you to use the hidden machine Rock Smash. Although I don't think you'll really need it."

Hidden machines, or HM.

Important discs that contain essential moves which could be taught to pokemon, and these moves helps trainers during their everyday adventure. HMs are hard to get, and are mostly received from people that works for the League to help trainers while they travel. And to use these HMs, a trainer has to get Gym Badges to activate the usage of these discs (although Red clinched all during his time in Kanto).

"I'm also giving you TM51, which contains the move Roost."

As for TMs, or technical machines, can contain different types of battle moves, and it can be used on different types of pokemon. However, unlike the HMs, TMs can only be used once.

After ending his habitual speech, Falkner's eyes grew serious as he asked, "How did you get TM53? You can only get those at the Battle Frontier, and I don't think you ever went there before."

Scratching his head, Red replied, "... I... received it... from a friend... of mine..." Although in fact, it was Green who gave it to him. Thinking that he should change the subject quickly, Red hurriedly kept the badge and the TM, then he returned Bayleef and took out another pokeball. Falkner went silent, went back to the edge of the field, taking out his third pokeball. Isuzu tottered over, gripping the laptop tightly as she waited for the real battle to unfold.

"Pidgeot!"

"... Charizard.."

The two pokemon emerged with a whirlwind of flames and feathers, the atmosphere exploding upon their arrival. Pidgeot screeched as it beat its wings with great arcs, the huge wingspan magnificent to look at with those lustrous feathers. Its red and yellow crown flowed behind its head, its otherwise ordinary plumage less striking. Beady-eyed and fierce-looking, the bird pokemon got ready to battle.

Charizard glared at the bird pokemon, his scales reddening from emitting high heat. His wings competed with the gales of wind produced by his opponent, creating a mini windstorm within the arena. Finally letting out a tremendous roar, the draconic pokemon's tail burst into a tornado of blue, orange and red flames, sending out burning heat surges. Falkner, enthralled by the fascinating fire type, stood there with blazing excitement. Although inside, he felt inferior since Red did not deploy Pikachu, who had the type advantage against the flying type Pidgeot. The Gym Leader finally set the ball rolling by sending out the first battle command.

"Wing Attack!"

Pidgeot shot upwards in a second, and swiftly propelled itself towards the higher-leveled Charizard with imposing shining wings. The fire type stole a glance at his trainer, noticed the hand signal and thrust his arms out. It took a split second for Falkner to realize what the Undefeated Champion intended to carry out. He tried to stop his pokemon by shouting, but Pidgeot was unable to stop his flight, and soon his wings were caught by those sharp claws. Charizard grappled the bird, who pecked at the foe in return. The two pokemon refused to give in as both tackled and wrestled each other, fire and wind mixing within.

"... Flamethrower..."

"Air Slash!"

An explosion and a grey cloud of smoke followed after the two attacks hit at close proximity. Finally the two pokemon got free and came out, Pidgeot clearly more damaged than Charizard due to its significantly lower defense stat. The bird fluttered further away, a few feathers smoldering, while the fire type skidded backwards, slight scratches over its wings. Falkner, getting frustrated, continued an onslaught of commands. Pidgeot took no time to waste and released a Twister, another array of Air Slash, and then a strong Gust.

Against the incoming attacks, Charizard's tail whipped around, the blue flame perilous and alert. He heard a faint shout, and giving a smirk, the fire type did a sudden spin, evading the first two moves, and finally received the last one head-on. Red turned to look at the status screen, glad to see that their HP bar was still in the safe zone. Clicking his tongue in frustration, Falkner told Pidgeot to get into the sky. Seeing that a clash in mid-air was coming, Isuzu hurriedly went to a corner to the room and pulled a small lever.

The ceiling rumbled, dust and rock tumbling down into the arena, and soon the Japanese-styled roof split into parts. The vermilion columns spun and descended beneath the floor. Both the roof and the pillars disappeared beneath the top floor, making the arena completely in the open. Meanwhile, Pidgeot was now fluttering up there squawking at Charizard, as if taunting at the opponent. The air was its territory and it will win this battle once the foe comes up.

Charizard turned to look at Red, who tilted his head upwards, telling his pokemon to fly. Grunting, Charizard obeyed and glided up. The great wings of both pokemon producing uncontrollable air pressures and outbursts of wind. Now, Pidgeot's HP was at 54%, while Charizard was at 89%. The difference between levels was great, with Pidgeot at level 64, and Charizard at 88, so the remaining HP did not surprise Falkner.

"Air Slash!"

"... Flare Blitz."

In that instant, serrated wheels of wind charged towards Charizard, whose bipedal body was suddenly engulfed in red-hot flames. Pidgeot backed away, and squawked in shock when its opponent hurled forward with a swirl of fire, blue and red fiery sparks streaking towards it. Air Slash was rendered useless against the raging flames, and instead amplified the power of the move by fanning the fire. A direct impact was dealt onto the bird, and it shrieked as the HP bar instantly dropped to zero.

Both Falkner and Isuzu went wordless as they witnessed Pidgeot falling down to the earth, a vertical trail of smoke following it. As it laid out cold on the field, Isuzu cried out in a shaky voice, "Pidgeot is unable to fight, it's Charizard's win!"

Falkner gave a sigh and returned his pokemon back to his pokeball. He wanted to ask the Undefeated Champion a question, but one look at the trainer's red eyes made him shut up. Those eyes looked cold and yet fiery with enthusiasm, as if saying:

 _Carry on with the next one._

Sweat rolled down his neck as Falkner gulped, his confidence lowered down by a notch. He can't win against him, with such a huge level difference in pokemon, how can he win? The title of Undefeated Champion was not for show, this person named Red was for real. Even so, he had to fight on, for his pride as a Gym Leader. Soon, the Violet City Gym Leader took out his last pokemon.

"Staraptor!"

A grayish-brown, avian pokemon emerged, its small and red eyes darting as it searched for its opponent. It also had a circular white patch on its forehead, white markings that covered its throat and chest, glossy black-tipped tail feathers and the last touch was the large red-tipped crest that arced over its head. A pokemon Red had never seen before, and he was certainly curious and surprised at the same time. But of course, he did not have the time to admire the never-before seen creature, when a loud voice called out, "Agility, then Brave Bird!"

Staraptor glowed white for a second, and suddenly a blue aura enveloped the pokemon as it came diving towards Charizard. The attack hit Red's pokemon straight on, but the HP just dropped slightly. Red got ready to command Charizard, but neither pokemon nor trainer could carry out any moves when their foe started letting out more commands.

"Agility once more, followed by Close Combat! Then Aerial Ace!"

At that moment, Red finally knew who he was facing. Yes, he was facing a Flying type Gym Leader, but what makes Falkner strong was his knack in doing consecutive attacks. To string up all the moves in one fluid motion, was part of his battle technique. But even consecutive attacks has a flaw or two.

Staraptor zoomed towards Charizard and started attacking fiercely, its talons, beak and wings hitting the opponent mercilessly. Charizard's HP bar, defense and special defense dropped, and after the move ended, Staraptor leaped away and got ready to unleash its speediest flying move. Falkner grinned, certain that the attack will hit, until he noticed the smile on Red's face.

"... Ember..."

Aerial Ace was let loose as a white light covered Staraptor, the bird aiming towards the fire type at high speed. It was when it realized that Charizard had disappeared before its very eyes. Falkner gasped when he witnessed the opponent's pokemon reappearing behind his own in a blaze of fire. His consecutive attacks were useless, and now Charizard had dealt a weak Ember on Staraptor, since the momentum was too fast for the fire type to let out a strong move. A loud beep from the status screen signaled that Falkner's pokemon was burnt, shocking Isuzu who was just gaping at the scene. Aerial Ace was supposed to be one of the fastest moves and can never be evaded, and adding that Staraptor had raised its speed by using Agility, there was no way Charizard could have dodged the attack.

Isuzu turned to Falkner, worried about the Gym Leader after having his attacks nullified, but upon seeing his calm expression, the adviser kept quiet.

"So, this is the difference in levels, is it?" Falkner called out towards the other trainer.

Red nodded his head in reply. Indeed, their level difference was great, so Charizard's speed stat itself outmatches Staraptor's, even after Agility was used. But the main thing was because Red had polished Charizard's speed. After the few years of training, his Charizard could increase his speed by using his flames, like how Pikachu uses his electricity to make himself faster. If he were to slow-motioned everything from before, Charizard had actually used his flames like gunpowder to shoot himself away from the so-called "unavoidable" Aerial Ace. Speed was the flaw of consecutive attacks. If you could arrive earlier to intercept the attack, even the formidable spear will break.

Staraptor hastily freed itself from the fire move, and waited for further commands by Falkner. Its trainer knew he could not win this battle, but the least he could do was to do his best. And now he was going to use his Staraptor's strongest move. If Bayleef had a TM move, there was no reason for Falkner to not have his pokemon learn a TM move.

"Giga Impact!"

A yellow-orange light covered Staraptor's body, followed by a sphere of purple energy that swirled around the flying type. Then the user burst forth, while Red was too late to realize the impact that will follow. Charizard did not managed to dodge, and suffered the full damage, his HP dropping to 71%. Falkner clenched his fist and smiled, glad that the move worked.

"...Tch... I'm losing my touch..." Red muttered. He had never fought against another trainer for, well, years, so the match was not going as smoothly as he thought. Sighing, he pulled his fingerless gloves tightly, thinking that he should end this. That Stara- or whatever it's called, still had its HP at 94%.

"Flamethrower, followed by Flare Blitz." Red said, his ellipses missing again. This always happens when he gets serious, after all.

"Consecutive attacks!?" exclaimed Isuzu, who was jumping up and down in excitement. Well, if Falkner could do consecutive, Red could as well.

Charizard got back up, and did as he was told, spitting out flames. Staraptor got scorched as it hurriedly flew up to mid-air, fearful of getting swallowed by the fearsome opponent. Falkner tried to command his pokemon, but the frantic flying type was not listening as it laid many openings in its defenses. Its burn was slowly whittling his HP, and after the powerful fire attack, Staraptor left only a mere 45% of HP. Charizard took this opportunity and quickly unleashed a Flare Blitz, ending the battle with a burst of flames and fireworks.

Finally, with a trembling excitement, Isuzu yelled, "Staraptor's unable to fight! It's Charizard's win! With a 4-0 score, it's Red's victory!" Similarly, the status screen was screaming the words "VICTORY" in gold letters.

Red sighed after the long battle, happy that he managed to have a tough battle after so long. He proceeded to return Charizard into his pokeball and picked up his cloak. Falkner followed suit, with the fainted Staraptor reduced to a red light and returned to its pokeball. Despite losing, it had been a great battle.

The two trainers then faced each other, across the field, neither person speaking a word. Isuzu gave them a confused look, and was surprised when both bowed towards each other with the standard Japanese way. Standing upright, Red turned around and exited the top floor via the tube transportation.

"Eh? Eh? Why did you let him leave just like that? I wanted to ask him where did he go after he resigned and get his autograph!" Isuzu cried out in disbelief. Falkner smiled, and patted her head to her annoyance.

"He's just a fleeting bird that flew by." he said. Isuzu gave another confused expression, not understanding his words. Falkner then walked away from the arena, and descended the staircase. There were probably more challengers coming after the badge for the rest of the day, but after that exhausting battle, he wished he could go take a breather. Although Isuzu might pummel him if he did not do his work.

Smiling, the Gym Leader of Violet City went off to grab another cream puff from the Leader's quarters.

* * *

 _You seem to be in a good mood, Red._

"..."

Red glanced at Espeon, who had insisted on walking alongside him after they left the Gym. Meanwhile, Pikachu was grumbling about being inside the pokeball, and not given the chance to battle. Red gave an apologetic look as he fingered the small badge he had just received. Holding it against the sunlight, the Zephyr badge glinted. Red then opened his vest and pinned it on the underside, somewhat happy. The trainer was back to being cloaked as he left Violet City.

 _Where are we going now?_ inquired Espeon.

"... Ruins of Alph, the guy at the inn told me to check it out..."

 _Oh, those famous Ruins? Is it south from the city?_ replied Espeon. Red nodded, and the trio moved on, and in a half hour, they arrived at the doorstep of the ruins. The place certainly did seem old, with all the somewhat crumbling rocks and shelters that were all yellow brown from the constant weathering caused by time and the sun. It would have looked rather pleasing to the eye, had not that huge research lab, flashy souvenir shop and tour guide service ruined the whole 'ancient' feel.

There were free tours around the ruins, and the trio just mingled into one of those troops of tourists out of curiosity. The group entered the many preserved halls that had depiction of four pokemon. With each pokemon having one hall each. In each hall, there were murals with the description of the four pokemon, with pictures of the them divided into a 16 grid puzzle. Their last stop was before a cave that was situated further away than the rest and after the tour guide blabbered how it also houses the Unown, the tourists scattered, signifying the end of the tour.

Left alone, Red, Pikachu and Espeon exchanged glances, wondering what they should do. The last cave was more secluded than the rest, and the entrance was more of a hole than a proper cave entrance. Peering into the dark interior of the cave, Red got the urge to go inside, although Pikachu was against the idea since it was almost time for lunch. Tugging at his trainer's vest, the electric mouse asked Espeon to connect him to Red using telepathy.

 _Don't you... dare... go in!_ grunted Pikachu as he started leaking electricity, zapping Red who tried to tear himself away from the pokemon.

"... Your stomach.. can... wait! It's... just a little... while!" Red was almost yelling as he pushed Pikachu in the face, a mini tug of war happening between the two. Suddenly a loud rip was heard, and before Red knew what had happened, his body went tumbling into the cave. Both pokemon yelped when their trainer suddenly disappeared into the abyss. Pikachu quickly jumped in, and Espeon could have went in as well when a sudden beep halted her in her tracks.

Everything crumbled in just a second.

The loud explosion from inside the cave made the roof collapse, the rocks cracking and splitting up, turning into bits of debris. Espeon's amethyst eyes could not blink as she witnessed the ruin breaking down, the image of Red and Pikachu flashing before her. Finally when the clouds of dust settled down, the pokemon then broke away from her stupefied state and yelled in her despair.

 _Pikachu! Red!_

No, why was this happening? Anyone, anyone, anyone!

Espeon looked around, frantic, distressed and in anguish. Why was there no one at all, where did all of them go? Someone, save them! She stared at the messed up structure, her heart feeling painful and guilty. Again. Again. She could not help him.

"Hello there, little Espeon."

The purple feline turned around, hopeful that whoever called out to her could save her trainer. It was a tall middle-age man that wore a half-mask, and one look at those cold and dark eyes, Espeon stopped short, realization dawning her.

 _It was you. You made the cave explode._ She said with a dangerous calmness

"You're half-right, since I was ordered by Sire to do this. Well, he did say this was just part of his torture schedule with your trainer."

 _You..!_ Espeon snarled and got ready to unleash a Psychic.

"Are you sure you have the time to deal with me? Red's waiting."

Cursing, Espeon ceased her attack while the butler-like man just smiled, turned and walked away. She don't know how he did it, how this "Sire" did it to prevent anyone from coming to this cave, when normally a ruin collapsing should have cause crowds to come gushing here. Whoever was doing this, was someone formidable and heartless, and had ensured they could receive no help from the other humans. Just like that man.

 _Who is this Sire of yours? Is it Giovanni?_

The man turned around, and sounded offended as he replied, "Giovanni? That half-baked thief? My master is someone not as low as him."

 _Fine. Then answer me, what does your boss want with Red. His life?_

"Life? Non, non, Sire simply likes to play games. If your trainer died so easily, it'll be troublesome. Are your questions done?"

 _What's your name?_

"Oh? So you want a clue. Maybe giving you might make the game more interesting, the Sire will love that."

 _Answer me!_

"Brutus. You shouldn't keep Red waiting, little Espeon."

At the very least, a name was given. Clicking her tongue, the feline quickly worked her psychic powers and disappeared on the spot. Meanwhile, the butler gave an uncanny smile as he went past the boulder that connected the cave with the rest of the Ruins of Alph. No one had noticed that the cave had collapsed, since most were away for lunch. Plus, they had cordoned off the area, and put on a facade of the cave needing maintenance. This was not hard with the Sire's authority.

* * *

"Falkner! A call from the superiors!" chirped Isuzu as she dangled the phone by the coil cord. It was lunchtime, so Falkner was just eating another dozen of cream puffs as he sat in his chair. The Gym Leader then stood up and received the handset from the adviser.

"Hello, this is Falkner." He said as he rubbed cream off his cheeks, the icing sugar of the puffs dabbling his fingers. Suddenly, his face grew serious as he listened intently. Nodding a few times, Falkner thanked the speaker on the other end and ended the call as he placed the handset down.

"Isuzu, place a notice outside to tell the masses that the Gym will be closed after tomorrow." said the Gym Leader. Isuzu asked him for the reason, and with a solemn expression, Falkner replied.

"There's going to be a League Conference."


	10. Chapter 10: Black

**I'm having a slight writer's block for chapter 3...**

 ***I don't own pokemon**

* * *

Black

"Haah... haah... haah..."

Heavy panting echoed within the tight space, the lone teenager hanging on for dear life as he cowered in a corner. His eyes could not see anything after the dust went into them, and neither could he hear anything, nor feel anything. There was just a blast of fire from somewhere and before he knew it, the ceiling came crashing down.

His eyes had witnessed the rocks that came toppling down, and blood started pushing through his veins and arteries in loud explosions, his phobia reacting to the impending danger. He could not move, tremors breaking up his body while sand and dust stung his eyes. Agonizing hammers struck him in the head several times as the rocks rained down on him like deadly arrows. The very fear that originated from that day came back to haunt him once more, and soon his world went into hyperdrive, colors swirling and sloshing in his wet eyes of panic. He screamed in short breaths, his body numbed and trembling from the shock and quickly he curled up in a defensive position, the way an astraphobic child will act during a thunderstorm. Most of his senses went shut, leaving him blind, deaf and unfeeling for some time.

Meanwhile, he could not sense anything from his surroundings, not knowing whether he was dead or alive. But he knew one thing, that he was certainly trapped in here. He sobbed, and buried his face under his knees, terror consuming the trainer. Everywhere was dark, so dark and constricting, so devoid of the living, and for a moment there, he forgot who he was. He could not even try to hope for someone to save him. Battling against the fear and keeping in touch with reality was tough itself.

Eternity might have passed, until two familiar voices came inside his head, a glimmer of hope lighting up within this frightening oblivion. Instinctively, he reached out for it, as the two voices cried out things like "get a hold of yourself" and "wake up". He heard his name and with the will to survive and desire to get out of this hellish claustrophobia, Red opened his eyes.

Everything was blurry, painful even, from the bits of dust that slipped into his scleroses. He blinked multiple times and got rid of the particles, his ear hearing things again. His breathing remained fast even after he found Pikachu and Espeon staring at him with exceedingly paranoid expressions. The two pokemon were all he could see, so he was still not yet aware of his surroundings.

 _Red! Are you hurt anywhere?_ Both pokemon yelled in unison, their voices ringing inside his brain.

Still panting, he feebly shook his head in reply. His buddies heaved a sigh of relief and got away from his field of vision. Red looked up and noticed that they were safe in a large space. Unfortunately, there were no apparent exits, and only a few rays of sunlight pierced through the gaps in the bouldery ceiling. Finally when he stared ahead, his jaw dropped open. He rubbed his eyes and blinked, taking another look at whatever was before him. After regaining his cool, Red could not help but wonder if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

They were small, thin and flat, their bodies consisting of a single eye with appendages of a variety of circles and lines, their shapes similar to letters. These all-black beings jumped and hovered around, their big fat eyes gazing at him excitedly. One of them even volunteered to be caught by him, allowing his Pokedex to get information about this pokemon.

The device beeped and flashed a name and the following sentences: _This pokemon is shaped like ancient text characters. Although research is ongoing, it is a mystery as to which came first, the ancient writings or the various Unown._

"... Unown..." muttered the trainer as he gave a suspicious glance at the giddy swarm. They got more enthusiastic after he read out their name, just like kids eager to get candy. Perplexed at their large numbers, he felt inclined to scoot away.

 _These guys saved your life._ said Pikachu, who nudged his trainer a few times.

"..Ah.. Oh.. Thank you..." He said in an awkward tone while nodding slightly. The Unown were practically flying into the air after he spoke, all of them elated for unknown reasons.

 _Red, Espeon said some guy went to-_

 _Pikachu, not now, I'll talk about it after we reach the next town._

Not understanding what they were talking about, Red shrugged it off. Returning to the current situation, he supposed he could spare some time to study the Unown until they get out of here, although the trainer could feel an irritated glare from a certain yellow mouse. Sighing, Red glanced at Espeon and asked her to use telepathy on these mysterious pokemon.

 _It's no use, I tried, but they can't speak._ Espeon replied. Slightly disencouraged, the trainer tried to interact with these irrational pokemon with much interest. The Unown could levitate, do basic movements at rather slow speeds, blink, twist their bodies, and nothing more than that. They did not seem to have a mouth, and probably were brainless. As if they were an accidental creation that ended up as a living being.

He remembered that the tour guide had distributed a piece of paper to aid them in reading hieroglyphs, and probably he was referring to these little ones. Fishing out the crumpled A4 sized paper, Red smiled and asked the fellas, "..Can you guys.. arrange yourselves... to form sentences?"

The swarm stopped in the air and some nodded with uncertainty, while the many others looked at each other with a confused eye. Maybe the problem was that they don't know the human language. Looks like there was not much for him to learn, plus, he could hear the angry growls of Pikachu's stomach, warning him to get out soon.

"... I guess we are leaving now... thanks for saving my life..." he said and stood up, his head almost touching the low boulders.

All of a sudden, the Unown scrambled around, some floating higher, some tripping in their haste. It did not took long for the trio to realize that the wild pokemon were trying to accomplish the task of communication. To the Unown, it was a hard task since most did not know what letter they looked like, and their urgency managed to convince Pikachu to endure his hunger. Finally after a few pushes here and there, they hanged side by side in an orderly manner, like a military squadron.

".. Thank you..." Red said, the trainer grateful for their efforts. He rummaged through his backpack and took out a memo pad and a pen. Referring back and forth to the Unown and the translation paper, he jotted down the message. He thanked the Unown once again, and was surprised to find all of them on the ground, their posture similar to kneeling. The trio then noticed that three of the pokemon were skipping forward with a moldy object on their "heads".

Rather confused, Red squatted down, and asked, "...Are you giving me.. this box?"

The Unown nodded, their many eyes staring up at him very seriously. Red gulped and gingerly received the long and wide box from them. It was made of a very ancient kind of ceramic, the beige color covered by mold and moss, making it rather uncomfortable to touch. Holding it within his hands, he could feel a certain weight to it, and knew instantly that this was something of utmost importance.

Gripping both the memo pad and the box tightly, Red, Pikachu and Espeon bid their farewells to the Unown. The psychic type glowed purple and quickly teleported the gang out of the ruins. And without them knowing, all the Unown disappeared from the collapsed structure without a trace.

* * *

The waitress observed the cloaked customer, a little frightened at his appearance. She had heard from rumors that this person was harmless, but still, it felt dangerous to serve him. Again, he had ordered large amounts of food for his pokemon. However, he skipped the human portion, as if he were not hungry. While his pokemon were eating, he was just staring at a disgusting-looking box and a piece of paper.

She could have continued to study this mysterious customer, until a shout from the cook forced her to get back to work.

 _What's the message?_ Pikachu asked as he bite into the tasty cake.

 _What message?_ Bayleef asked, confused at the conversation. Charizard was also bugging them for information, since the two were not exactly present to understand what had happened.

"...This is hard..." he said.

 _Let me take a look._ Pikachu offered.

"... You're not literate, are you...?" Red replied.

 _No, but just show me._ The yellow mouse insisted. Staring at the paper, Pikachu gave a wry look. Charizard and Bayleef took a peek, and gave the same expression.

 _...I give up_. Sighed the mouse. Bayleef then passed the paper back to Red, who gazed at the letters. Something popped into his head, then he swiftly tore out paper from his memo pad and started writing.

 _Oh, a word scramble!_ Espeon exclaimed, it was understandable that the Unown had messed up their message. Red was so focused that he did not realize the amount of time that lapsed by the time he was done. Checking the time, he was surprised that twenty minutes had passed. He gave an apologetic look at his pokemon, before reading out the unscrambled message.

"... Find Arceus and... his plates..." He smiled at his successful attempt, while the rest seemed surprised.

 _Find Arceus? That sounds impossible._ Pikachu grumbled. The rest nodded in agreement, while Espeon spoke.

 _But why did the Unown want us to find Arceus' plates?_

Immediately, the whole gang started contemplating about the task they were given out of the blue. In the end, Espeon diverted their attention to the box. With certain anticipation, Red lifted the moldy cover.

 _Whoa._ The whole team gasped at the dainty treasure that laid silently within the container. It was a deep violet pear shape with short tubes portruding out, and lastly a maroon mouthpiece at the tip. It looked glassy, fragile and peculiar.

 _So pretty!_

 _It looks like a human heart!_

 _Is it an instrument?_

 _Try blowing into it!_

Red carefully held the object, fingered the tubes and assumed the correct way to handle it. Glancing at the team's excited faces, he placed his lips against the mouthpiece. Then gently, he blew wind into the "instrument".

A soft note echoed out, the sound mysterious and out of this world. It was distinctively a G note, bright, yet eerie, yet solemn. It seemed to attract the attention of all the people in the restaurant, everyone's eyes on the team. And in that moment, the whole gang instinctively knew that they had to leave.

 _Charizard,_ Bayleef and Espeon returned to their pokeballs, while Pikachu gobbled all the remaining cake in one mouthful. With urgent steps, Red moved out of his seat and ran to the counter, slapping the necessary amount of notes in front of the attendant and exited in a flurry.

 _What was that!?_ The mouse yelled, irritated that he did not get the time to properly enjoy his cake. Red did not react to his exclamation as he ran down the streets, trying hard to get that echoeing sound out of his head. If he was not wrong, that object might be a flute.

 _I guess I'll think about it tonight._

Meanwhile, Pikachu continued grumbling while sitting on his trainer's shoulders, his mind still fixated on cakes. And soon, the whole team headed for the next town.

The road to Azalea Town was long, for the team had to cross route 32, where they received a Miracle Seed, caught Mareep, Wooper and Hoppip. He and Pikachu then navigated around Union Cave, where he was ambushed countless times by insistent mountain climbers and pokefans, who coerced him to battle with them. In the end, he made off with some money. They then passed by Slowpoke Well, and found a signboard with these words: Please do not hunt for Slowpoke Tails!

Red would have climbed into the well to explore, until he was rudely interrupted by a sudden downpour. Without further ado, he headed for Azalea Town, all thoughts about the well forgotten. Red then took shelter in the Pokemon Center's entrance, the rain having no sign of stopping. Thankfully, his cloak kept him rather dry, while his shoes got damp. Pikachu was less fortunate, for his fur got drenched and became heavy from the excess water. After he removed his cloak, he tried to squeeze it dry, until he noticed Pikachu opening his mouth.

"A... A... A-Chu!" the mouse sneezed, his body shivering. Afraid that his buddy was going to catch a cold, Red gathered Pikachu into his arms and went inside the Pokemon Center, completely disregarding the whole matter about hiding his identity. He walked straight towards the reception counter where Nurse Joy stood.

"Good Evening! Welcome to our Pokemon Center. We can heal your pokemon to perfect health." she greeted. There were scarce people within the building, with only an old man sitting near the magazine shelves, a lady and a little boy waiting at the seating area. After forcing Pikachu to return to his pokeball, he placed his whole team into a tray with six holes and passed it to Nurse Joy.

"We'll tend to your pokemon, please wait there for ten to fifteen minutes." said Nurse Joy as she extended her hand in the direction of the seats. Red nodded and proceeded to sit at the last row, away from the three people. He blankly stared into space, before he decided to zip open his backpack to take out his precious red cap. So far, he had not really wore his cap, since it would be weird wearing a cap and a hooded cloak at the same time. But it felt strange to not have the accessory on his head.

His fingers grasped the cap by the bill and with a sigh, he placed it onto his messy black hair. He adjusted it slightly, and leaned onto the chair with a satisfied grin. Red closed his eyes, while minutes passed by mundanely.

"Mister, are you Red?"

"Wah!" Red yelled in surprise, his eyes flashing open. His arms flailing, he hurriedly took off his cap and hid it behind his back. He found himself looking into the big brown eyes of the little boy that had sat three rows ahead of him. The child wore a red-white cap with a black bill, a pokeball symbol imprinted on the canvas material. His hair that covered his neck was long and untamed, with bunches of hair sticking out of his head. Despite it being children clothes, Red could see that this boy was foreign, since the fashion was clearly more hip and modern.

The lady, presumably the boy's mother, looked young with her feminine clothes and hair that was styled with a ponytail and a headband. She was standing behind her son while looking at him with much curiosity. Giving a pretentious smile, he shook his head in denial, opened and closed his mouth while thinking of ways to get himself out of this situation.

"But your eyes are so pretty like him!" the boy shouted as he pointed at Red's nose bridge. Red stopped his movements for a moment, before he firmly replied, "... I'm not him."

"But, but..." the boy tried to argue, but seemingly out of words, he went silent. For a moment there, Red thought that he was safe, until an old voice crackled,"Shrimp, that person _is_ Red." The latter turned to see whoever had spoke, slightly vexed that someone else had butted in. It was the old man that sat near the magazine corner, his face covered by a newspaper. Exhaling out, Red emphasized once more, "... I'm not him.."

"You are definitely him, I can recognize that face even after five years." the old man did not relent, and finally he folded the newspaper up, showing his wizened face. Red let out a gasp when he gaze upon the familiar elderly man.

"... Viridian City... That Old Man!" he said as he stood up, astonished to find an acquaintance in Johto. He remembered the Old Man's stubbornness back when he just set out in Kanto, who had grumpily demanded for his coffee before he agreed to clear the path for him to go to the next town. Then, he had taught Red how to catch pokemon, and even gave him a Teachy TV, which taught him the basics of being a pokemon trainer.

"Hoho, shocked you didn't I, kiddo?" The Old Man laughed, amused at his reaction. The lady, on the other hand, understood the situation and started observing calmly.

"... Why are you here?" Red asked, glad that he could meet someone he knew in a foreign place.

"Why am I here, you say? How about you tell me why are you here? After disappearing for so long, you end up here!" The Old Man dismissed his question and confronted the trainer instead.

"... I have reasons..." Red sighed, tired of this déjà vu of answering the same thing over and over again. First he had to explain to Professor Oak, then his mother, then to Green, and now this guy.

"Fine, I won't pressure you, anyways, to answer your query, I just came to visit my old friend! You should visit his workshop later, I can put in a word for you so that Kurt can give you a discount!" he said and chortled. A few seconds of silence was then broken by a short whimper. Red faltered and peered down, sweat dropping when he saw the red and crinkled face of the boy who was biting his lower lip to hold his tears in.

His mother gasped and patted her boy on the head as she coaxed him softly. She then looked at the possible Champion Red, and gave an embarrassed look.

"Sorry for his behavior, we're from Unova and started holidaying in Johto a day ago, so he's still a little jumpy. Come, Hilbert, no crying anymore." the mother consoled as she squatted down next to the boy called Hilbert. Rubbing his eyes roughly with his sleeve, the boy stared up at Red once more with hopeful eyes.

"Are you Red?" Hilbert cried out in an indignant tone. Red froze after the question was shot towards him again, and finally giving up on hiding his identity, he nodded jadedly.

"Cool! Can I be like you?" The boy perked up, his brown eyes twinkling so brightly, a toothy smile replacing his pouting. The trainer went speechless, never expecting himself to play the role of an "inspiring" person all of a sudden. He must say the right words, say the right words...

"Um..." He muttered dryly, as he glanced at the Old Man, wanting to ask for help. Immediately, Red got irritated by the delighted look on the Old Man's face, since the bystander was obviously enjoying watching his awkward moment. _Oh well_ , he thought, as he crouched down to the same height as the child. Removing Hilbert's cap, Red chuckled when he saw the boy's unruly hair, just like his.

"... You can't be like me... See? Your cap already has a black color on it... " Red pointed at the black pokeball design on the accessory. "... I'm Red, and you're Black... just be yourself and be the color that surpasses all."

Red mused at his funny sentences. But gazing at the boy's face, he knew that he had played his role accurately.

"Okay!" Hilbert replied cheerily. Beaming, Red patted that messy nest and pushed the cap into the boy's chest. The young child handled his own cap carefully, his fingers tracing the black pokeball with a new fascination. He looked up, but realized that the former Champion had left to retrieve his pokemon.

"Thank you for waiting, your pokemon are fit and healthy!" Nurse Joy announced with a thrilled expression. The pink-haired female had just found out who the individual was, so it was no wonder that she looked so bubbly. Red picked the six pokeballs, released Pikachu, and kept the rest.

"... Can you pretend... you never saw me?" he asked, and Nurse Joy readily agreed.

"Kiddo, don't worry, everyone here now have our lips sealed." the Old Man laughed, while Hilbert had a puzzled expression. His mother placed her hands on his shoulders and said, "He means we have to keep this a secret."

"What secret?"

"The secret that we met him."

"I don't get it, but, okay!"

Heaving a sigh of relief, Red was glad these people were kind and considerate. He glanced out, wondering if he could leave. However, the sky was still painted by a sea of mist and grey, torrents of water spilling out from the puffy clouds. Checking the time, it was well approaching night, and the team had to grab dinner or else a certain stomach will start whining again. He thought he should ask Nurse Joy for directions to the nearest eatery and if there were any inns in Azalea.

"If you like to, there are spare rooms for travelers to stay in, and the cost is a lot cheaper than inns." Nurse Joy suggested. As a wandering trainer, this was basic knowledge to Red, but the big problem was that...

"Do register into the system if you decided to do so!" she reminded, pushing a small digital tablet across the counter, her face expecting Red to type in his full name and contact number.

Hell no.

He rejected the idea of inputting his name into the flat device and was careful enough to know that registering could spell trouble for him. Seeing that the trainer was adamant in getting his information, Nurse Joy stopped trying to convince him and provided him basic directions. Red thanked her, said goodbye to the other three people and left for the exit.

"Bye Red!" Hilbert called out while stretching out his whole arm high up and waved with all his might. The former Champion's back vanished soon after and the little boy was having an excitable feeling within his chest. He was suddenly lifted off the ground by his mother, who carried him all the way the the front row seats and resumed their wait for his sister.

"She's taking far too long!"

"You can't blame your sister, she did get a stomachache."

Hilbert squirmed on his seat, dangled his legs before him, his hands still not letting go his cap. He pulled and poked the cap, giggling as he remembered those words.

 _Be the color that surpasses all._

"Hehe.." he laughed himself silly, until the sound of light footsteps made him look up, just to see his twin sister Hilda. The little girl tottered over, her complexion sickish from the constant pain in her digestive organ. Her long wavy hair framed her round face, eyes aquamarine like their mother, and could have looked cute had not the grimace on her face ruined the image.

"It still hurts." She complained.

"That's what you get for eating too much cake." said their mother.

"Grrr..." Hilda groaned, as she climbed onto the seat next her brother, hinting to her mother to spare her a few moments of respite before they return to the hotel.

"Mommy, I've decided!"

"Yes, Hilbert?"

"My nickname will be Black!"

"What that supposed to mean? Trying to act cool?" His sister teased, before another sharp pain struck her stomach, causing her to frown.

"Sis, your nickname will be White!" Hilbert chirped, and Hilda would have retort back, but the queasy feeling in her abdomen made her hurled out of her seat. She moaned and headed off to the toilet soon after.

"I guess I should buy antacids from the mart later." chuckled the mother, as she ruffled her son's hair endearingly. "That's a nice nickname, Black."

"Yeah!" the child cheered, then he pulled his cap down onto his messy hair with a grin.

* * *

 _The rain isn't letting down._ Bayleef muttered as he glanced at the rest of his teammates, who were eating their takeaway food. His trainer, on the other hand, had forgo dinner, saying that he was lacking appetite. They managed to brave through the downpour and arrived at an inn before the lightning struck, and were now sitting cozily on the wooden floorboards, all showered and dried. Chewing on his lettuce, he noticed Espeon lost in thought, the feline not really touching her food.

 _Espeon-senpai, what's wrong?_ Bayleef asked, earning a shout from Pikachu.

 _Hey! Is this preferential treatment I'm seeing? I want to be called senpai too!_ cried the mouse.

 _Uh, okay, Pikachu-senpai._ he replied.

 _Mmm, say it again._

 _Pikachu-senpai._

 _Yes, yes, say it again._

 _Pikachu-senpai..._

 _Ah yes! That sounded so melodious to my ears! You passed!_

After one and a half day of traveling with these guys, the newbie could somehow summarize their personailities. First was Charizard, who was hyper and enthusiastic about everything, and had a queer sense of curiosity. A rather clumsy pokemon, he could set fire to things unknowingly. From what he heard from Espeon, one of their past teammates, Blastoise, had to clean up his mess everytime. He was easy-going, and seemed reliable and cool, albeit rarely.

Espeon was more of the older sister figure of the party, and behaved to be pretty over-protective. She usually mediates arguments between Pikachu and Charizard, and was calm and decisive. Other than these characteristics, Bayleef could not observe any other things from this mysterious psychic type.

Last but not least, the incomprehensible electric mouse, Pikachu. He gets grumpy, sarcastic, stubborn and hungry all at the same time. His appetite and actions baffles him, and for some depressing reason, Bayleef could find not another positive trait other than his friendliness. But the grass type knew that time will tell, and slowly, he will learn more about his teammates.

As for his trainer, Bayleef felt honored to be part of his team. He knew Red was some big-shot trainer, but to what extent, he wasn't sure. Red did not like to talk to humans, but seemed perfectly alright with talking to pokemon. He wanders around areas with tall grasses a lot, and was unexpectedly dense. No wonder Espeon was protective over him.

He was new to the team, and appreciates their efforts to include him. But sometimes, he still fears that he did not fit in.

Anyways, back to the situation at hand.

Espeon gave a disapproving expression towards Pikachu's absurdity, before she sighed and then addressed to the whole party.

 _Guys, I have something important to say._

 _Oh yeah, you mentioned that someone-_

 _At the Ruins of Alph, someone had instigated the explosion. It was by no means, a natural occurence._

 _Hey! Let me finish my sentence!_ Pikachu protested.

 _Who was it?_ Charizard asked, his face suddenly stern. Pikachu got annoyed and started grumbling about disrespect. Red, who was leaning his back against the bed post, petted the mouse's furry head, before he focused on the conversation.

 _That man wore a mask, a white colored mask that concealed half of his face. No one came except for him after the collapse, so I guess that he had actually cordoned off the area, so no one can come to help us. The masked person said he worked for someone else, so I believe whoever is behind this isn't someone to joke with._

"... Is it Giovanni?" Red muttered, a sullen look on his face.

 _No. That masked man simply said his name was Brutus, and mentioned that his master liked to play games._

 _Games? Like UNO?_ Pikachu joked, and along with Bayleef, the two pokemon were still oblivious to the severity of the matter.

 _This is serious, Pikachu. If this instigator likes to play games involving lives, plus the fact that he has the means to blast an ancient protected ruin like nobody's business, he is one dangerous enemy._

Pikachu went dead silent, as a unprecedented frown formed on his face. One look at that frown, Bayleef was convinced that something bad was going to happen.

 _And he is targeting Red._ Charizard growled, his canines looking tenacious.

 _Plus, we have no idea who our enemy is._ said Pikachu grimly.

 _Isn't this very bad?_ Bayleef murmured, feeling shaky and scared. Everyone's spirits went down instantly, and the storm seemed to reflect their emotions as rain came down heavier than ever, smacking the window glass mercilessly.

"...Let's stop thinking about it... and go to sleep." Red finally broke the silence, a warm smile on his face as he slowly picked up the empty takeaway boxes, as if he did not think much of the matter.

 _But Red! This is your life we're talking about!_ Pikachu objected. His trainer continued clearing the trash while he spoke.

"... Worrying over it now won't bring us anywhere, will it? Plus, I trust that.. you guys will be there for me."

The four pokemon stared at their trainer, who stood up and went to throw away the rubbish. They found themselves exchanging glances and blushing from Red's acknowledgement. Then, heeding his instructions, the whole team had an early lights out.

* * *

"Bugsy! Where are you!?" Bugcatcher Tomomichi called out. Being a default adviser to the Azalea Town Gym Leader involved finding and catching the shorty. It was already night time, but the seventeen year old was still cooping inside his arena studying books about bug pokemon. Within the grassy setting of the arena, it was often hard to find Bugsy among the tall grass and bushes.

"Scyth! Scyth!" A familiar cry made Tomomichi spot a purple head bobbing in between the plants. The Gym Leader's Scyther was waving its forearms hurriedly, beckoning him to come over.

As expected, Bugsy was sitting cross-legged, a huge book on his lap where realistic drawings of bugs were illustrated in its yellow pages. The Gym Leader himself was already nodding in his sleep, his eyes all shut for the night. Tomomichi noticed a small book next to the teenager, entitled "How to grow taller".

The adviser glanced back at his Gym Leader and smiled. Bugsy was small for his age, and could be mistaken as a twelve year old kid. Adding his girly face and almost shoulder-length purple hair, he appeared feminine and was also mistaken to be a female at times. He had it tough playing his role as a Gym Leader, and was constantly trying to improve himself.

"I guess I can't leave this kid alone can I?" Tomomichi sighed as he bent down to piggy back the lethargic shorty. Remembering the Gym Leader had been busy throughout the day battling challengers as well as preparing for the League Conference, Bugsy indeed deserved a good rest. Today's challengers had been normal, most losing, a few winning.

"Tomorrow's another day full of challengers, isn't it? Gym Leader?" said Tomomichi, before he shouted in shock when Bugsy started drooling onto his shoulder.

* * *

 **Another Chapter completed!**

 **You might have raised an eyebrow or two when you see me using Japanese speech like"senpai" and "Tomomichi". Don't blame me, it's just there.**

 **Btw, Tomomichi is actually Bugcatcher Josh, who is one of the trainers you fight in the Gym. :))**

 **Thankiew for reading!**

 **Cheersssalalalala**

 **onetimetrip.**


	11. Chapter 11: Azalea

***I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Azalea

"Bugsy, Bugsy, wake up!" Tomomichi cried into the boy's ear, the adviser feeling rather tired after having a sleepless night. He walked to the windows to part the curtains, letting the mild daylight seeped into the bedroom. Meanwhile, the Gym Leader sat up drearily, his eyelids weighing like lead. For the umpteenth time, Bugsy wished he could get a holiday or two and just nest on the bed and have a relaxing full day trip to dreamland. After pacing around for a few moments, his patience reached its limit and finally Tomomichi felt something snapped inside him. His eyes narrowed in annoyance, before he flipped over the bug-print blanket and dragged the half-asleep boy off onto the ground with little effort.

"Tomomichi, why're you here? This is my house!" Bugsy whined while the man hauled him out of the room.

"Your house is in the Gym, and I work here, you've got a problem?" Tomomichi grumbled, getting more annoyed by the second. He never liked mornings, because he always had to take care of Bugsy's nonsensical questions and actions.

"Tomomichiiiii, I don't want to work." The boy slurred, his hands balled up as he flailed his arms in a humorous way.

"Gosh! You're annoying in the morning!"

"Ne, ne, Tomomichi, why do people work? You know, Morty told me if people work, their hair get white, and then ghosts will come and haunt them. I don't want to get my hair white, so can I please don't work?"

"Before your hair turns white, I'll die first!" Tomomichi barked. "And shouldn't you be more afraid of the ghosts than your hair?"

Rattling out stupid reasons, Bugsy continued his complains, where not one word could get past the adviser's ear defenses. After a short trip through the corridor, Tomomichi banged open the door and flung the light-weight teenager into the toilet.

"Go and brush your teeth, and don't you dare fall asleep in there!"

"Yesss Mum~" said the Gym Leader as he slowly stood up and faced the mirror.

"I'm not your mother!"

Bugsy has two extreme ends: at the last half of the day, he is hardworking. Then in the morning, the teenager becomes a lazy bum. And here he was wondrously pushed by default to be the Leader's adviser, to babysit him. But all bad things have a silver lining, so he was pretty fortunate that Bugsy gets back on track by noon. Other than that, he will have to fulfill his morning checklist of duties. And his first task was to double check the interior of the arena. Tomomichi hurriedly descended to the ground floor, not aware that a certain someone was already snoozing with a mouthful of toothpaste.

Surveying the ground floor, the giant space was framed by huge bushes, and honey trees where common bug pokemon lived within. The Azalea Town Gym's speciality was bug type, so naturally everything was bug-themed, such as the spider puzzle that was constructed above two separate pits. Challengers were supposed to ride the Spinarak baskets, go to the correct place to push the lever, and then get to Bugsy, who stands right at the back. If the challenger arrives at wrong areas in the arena, they will have to fight the Gym Trainers. The puzzle can look rather intimidating, with the deep pit and the webs fake spider threads, and if his memory served him well, in the past there were death games involving this puzzle. He would need to check the machine's condition and ensure that everything was perfect before the Gym opened for the day. He set to work, eyes searching for faults in the puzzle and the various mechanisms.

"Tomomichi!" Two voices called out. The latter looked up, and found the twins skipping over, the two girls wearing their signature pink hoodies and yellow accessories.

"Amy, Mimi! Did you see Sadao and Al?" He asked.

"Oh, were they walking behind us?" The two twittered.

"They were." Amy self-answered.

"They were?" Mimi echoed back.

"Were they?" The other twin inquired. Then they laughed, before twirling around the advisor, did two spins, stopped and curtsied. Tomomichi smiled at their little performance, the man accustomed to their unusual twinny conversations. He looked up, and soon the Gym doors opened, where two Bugcatchers entered with nets and baskets in hands.

"Tomomichi! You're awfully early today, let me guess, is it Bugsy again?" Al called out with a smirk on his face.

"Al, you overslept." Sadao said with a monotonous voice.

"Geh, you don't have to say it out loud!" Al grumbled. "But Bugsy must have overslept too."

"At least our Gym Leader is more gentlemanly than you." Sadao said it as a matter-of-fact.

"More gentlemanly!" Amy giggled.

"More gentlemanly!" Mimi repeated.

"You two annoying pricks!" Al cried, and the threesome engaged into a game of tag. Sadao sighed and then waved a greeting to Tomomichi, before he inquired, "So, adviser, where's the Gym Leader?"

Tomomichi's whole body froze for a few long seconds, before he shouted in surprise and anger. Putting down whatever he was doing, he dashed off to the toilet, while Al and the twins paused to take a look at their usual frantic adviser.

"Let me guess, Bugsy must have fell asleep in the toilet." Al said while he nodded smugly.

"Stop with your 'let me guess' sentences." Sadao groaned.

"Yeah, stop it!" the twins chattered. Al's temples throbbed, irritated, and soon they resumed their everyday routine. Sadao stood in a corner and raised an eyebrow while he viewed the comedy. All four Gym Trainers were so engrossed in their own actions that they did not realize that the dreaded time had arrived.

"... Excuse me... is the Gym...?"

All four trainers jerked their head to the entrance, discovering a person hesitating at the door. They then stared up to look at the clock with rigid necks, and chaos followed soon after.

"Where's Tomomichi, Tomomichi, Tomomichi!?" Al yelled as he ran around in circles, the twins chanting the adviser's name ditzily. Meanwhile, Sadao's mind was trying hard to search for the path of salvation. He was a lot calmer than the other three, and soon, he rushed towards the probable challenger that stood waiting at the entrance. Strangely, the person was donning a black cloak, with a feisty looking Pikachu perching on his shoulder. Sadao could somewhat discern from that height and voice that the person was a male.

"Sorry, erm, Sir, we're having a little technical problems. Can you kindly wait outside for maybe, fifteen minutes?" Sadao muttered, a lie mixed within his words. The least he could do was to drag out the time. The person acknowledged with a nod and exited noiselessly. The Bugcatcher sighed and clapped his hands to gain the panicky trio's attention.

"Get to your damn positions!"

* * *

Back outside, Red was leaning against the wall, while Pikachu landed on the ground before he let out a yawn. Feeling dull and bored, the mouse scampered a few steps away, while his trainer removed the hood and attempted to flatten his bedhair. But the black mess refused to settle down, as the bunches stuck back up obstinately. For the next few minutes, Red continued to tackle his hair, while Pikachu tilted his head up to get a proper look at the Gym's appearance.

The two-storied building had a thatched gable roof with a few branches adorning the ridge, mud-colored walls that were painfully rough and artificial spiderwebs were plastered in multiple areas. A single window was constructed right next to where Red stood, the reinforced glass having numerous scratches on it. A trail of fake ants crawled into an arc over the large wooden door that had an engraving of a huge spider on it. Above the arc was a shiny round symbol, red with three black spots, making it look similar to that of a ladybug. The last touch was painted on by the gold Pokemon League symbol. One could immediately deduce that this was a bug type Gym.

Pikachu then ran towards Red as he squeaked with many "pi"sand "chu"s, the mouse clearly worried about whether Bayleef could survive another disadvantageous Gym battle.

"...Ah, looks like we can go in.." Red muttered as he peered into the Azalea Gym, his attention diverted away from Pikachu. He looked around the area, glad that no one was around to see his appearance. The trainer then beckoned the mouse to follow him while he swiftly brought up the hood. Without further ado, he pushed open the door with the tip of his fingers, and his feet swept into the building.

Again, two pokemon statues greeted him, their stoned figures as stiff as ever, while a man stood upright next to the one on the right, beads of perspiration rolling down his face. His suit was crumpled, buttoned the wrong way, the cloth sticking out of his pants. Clearly, this guy had been in quite the rush.

"Sorry for the wait! Do you need me to provide some tips for you to battle Bugsy?" Said the Gym Guide. Red shook his head and slowly walked past the man who heaved a sigh of relief. After Sadao had screamed through the phone that he was late, the Gym Guide swore that mad dash could have cost him a leg or two. Thank goodness his house was only a one minute run away from the Gym.

Meanwhile, Red salivated and gulped when he stood before the gaping hole where giant ropes stretched across it, both horizontally and vertically. Before him were exactly three spider-shaped baskets that hanged at the three ends of the ropes. One glance told him that this was a simple puzzle, but what scares him was the darkness below. He would not be able to entrust his life to those shabby baskets, and he could picture the ropes breaking while he crossed over.

Waving such thoughts out of his mind, the trainer absentmindedly headed to the basket on the left and climbed into it, Pikachu gripping onto the Red's cloak for dear life. The mouse cried out when the carriage jerked violently, the metal rollers at the top squealing as they hit each other, the friction forcibly producing sparks. After long seconds of stillness, the basket finally moved forward, the hanging rollers grinding and screaming out mechanical sounds that made both trainer and pokemon started having wild thoughts of death. Suddenly, the basket stopped, causing the duo's hearts to stop for a second, until the rollers shrieked and directed the passengers to the right. Then it stopped again and moved forward, then to the right once more.

As the basket moved forward, Red noticed a trainer laying in wait across the rope, the bald boy carrying a big-ass net, and his fingers held a new straw hat. Bugcatcher Al glared at him, the trainer gearing up for a battle. The cloaked challenger was coming over, the Pikachu on his shoulder glaring back at Al.

 _Come over, come over, please come over!_ Al begged fervently within his head. His wishes were not heard when the basket swerved left, surprising Red and Pikachu. The Bugcatcher dropped to his knees and his cries resounded throughout the Gym.

"Shut up, Al!" Sadao shouted over the trees. He was awfully noisy everyday, since he was stationed at a place where almost no challengers go over to battle him. His friend disliked boredom, and him standing there without doing anything equated to torture.

"Sadao! Let me switch places with you!"

"No!"On the other hand, Sadao himself was the one that got the "best spot", since all challengers had to battle him no matter in order for them to get to Bugsy. Meanwhile, Red and Pikachu could not help but chuckle a little at the short conversation between the Bugcatchers, until the basket jerked forward once more. A painful bump into the rocky wall told Red that the death ride was finally over. He climbed out of the spider basket, while Pikachu heaved a sigh of relief. Ahead, stood the Bugcatcher that had replied the other one was stationed on the right platform.

"Hello, sorry for the delay. You'll need to register your name before you battle the Gym Leader. That is, if you managed to reach him."

Unfazed by Sadao's words, the challenger simply nodded and moved forward to start the trainer battle. His uncanny hooded appearance sent a chill to the Bugcatcher's nerves, while Red was rather bored, since he wanted to hurry up and get this over with. Both nodded together, and sent out their pokemon with two clicks on their pokeballs.

"Go Weedle!"

"... Bayleef.."

The two pokemon appeared with two flashes of white light, and standing opposite each other in the rather wide space where the two sides were lined with green trees. The cream-colored Bayleef bayed enthusiastically, while Weedle's pointy stinger on its head glinted, a purple liquid oozing out from it.

"Oh? A high-leveled Bayleef. But it won't make any difference if it's against a bug-poison pokemon. Weedle, use Poison Sting!" The Bugcatcher ordered, and Weedle immediately spit out poisonous barbs towards Bayleef, the attack hitting the grass type at full power. The moment the purple poison penetrated Bayleef's skin, he cried out in agony, the poison taking effect at the next second. Pikachu, who was sitting by the sidelines, squeaked out in concern, worried that his teammate would not be able to hold out for long.

"... Bayleef, endure it. Use Razor Leaf." Red called out, his left hand reaching for the front compartment of his backpack. Bayleef gritted his teeth and balanced himself as his vision blurred. The poison stung and pricked him painfully in the gut, but he willed himself to unleash the move, and in mere seconds, Weedle fainted from the powerful attack. The grass type panted as his insides squirmed, feeling sick and weary, the poison whittling away his HP faster than ever. When he thought he was not going to make it, a cooling mist was sprayed onto him lightly, the mint-scented antidote warding off the poison in a matter of seconds.

"Well, not bad. I'll give you some free EXP for the next one. Go, Kakuna."

The Cocoon pokemon did not last long and was down in five seconds. Sadao smiled as he clasped onto the pokeball that held the powerhouse of the team. With two clicks on the pokeball's button, the next bug pokemon emerged, clad in white light.

"Go Beedrill!

The bipedal wasp-like Beedrill buzzed out, its wings beating so scarily fast that only streaks of lines could be seen. Its compound red eyes viewed everything in pixels and hexagons, the conical stingers on its forearms mean-looking and certainly not welcoming with the poison laced on the shiny surface. Its glares made Bayleef squeaked out of fear, since he had never faced a more scary looking opponent than Beedrill.

 _Well, well, well, what do we have here? A weak little grass type!_ scorned Beedrill haughtily. It swiped its forearms mockingly towards Bayleef, who backed away like a fearful lamb.

"Beedrill, use Fury Attack!" Sadao commanded, unaware of what had happened between the two pokemon. Beedrill heeded the Bugcatcher's orders and dived forward, its nasty stingers jabbing at the opponent, which reduced Bayleef's HP. The grass type waved his scythe shaped leaf, attempting to shoo away the bug type.

"... Bayleef, keep calm." said Red, whose voice was raised in volume. "..Find an opening and use Energy Ball."

By no means was the move intended to be a surprise attack, yet Beedrill sensed the forthcoming danger, and it waspishly hovered away in astonishment, unsure about this never before seen move known as Energy Ball. He was certain that no low level prey learnt such a move, and lost in his thoughts, he created the very opening that Bayleef needed. The move was used at close distance, the green sphere aimed towards Beedrill's thorax. Its red eyes eyed the sphere, and with a swift movement, it leaned to the left, resulting the impact to be concentrated on its stingers.

 _It hurts!_ shrieked Beedrill, furious and feeling unpleasant. That grass attack had definitely reduced its HP bar to half, and there was no way he was going to make things any easier for the foe. It directed its buzzing towards Sadao, prompting the trainer to give another command.

"Poison Sting!"

Beedrill zoomed off, his stingers ready to bring forth a world of pain, as more poison covered the surface, the vile liquid glistening menacingly.

"... Dodge!" Red shouted, and Bayleef instinctively crouched down, his head bending forward. The surprised bug type sailed over the opponent, the venomous attack evaded. Red did not stop there as he ordered his pokemon to use Razor Leaf. In the trainer's surprise, Bayleef remained in the position as his body glowed green. He did not look back to aim, for he was afraid that the bug foe would come slicing towards him and very quickly, he haphazardly released the sharp leaves. On the other hand, Beedrill had stopped its flight and wanted to fly in the opposite way to reuse Poison Sting, but the moment its body turned backwards, it was stunned to see the large amount of razor leaves that were coming straight towards him.

"Beedr-" Sadao shouted but everything was too late when his pokemon was struck hard by the attack, and soon it laid limp on the earthy ground. Returning Beedrill into its pokeball, Sadao advanced towards the hooded challenger, wanting to congratulate him for winning. However, the Bugcatcher stopped short when the male went forward and hugged his pokemon.

"... You did great..." Red murmured, his fingers smoothing over Bayleef's head. The last attack was done wonderfully, although the grass type had failed to aim. As a trainer, Red understood that facing an opponent where he had double the disadvantage had made Bayleef afraid to battle. And he was proud that this pokemon had mustered the courage to fight against all odds. Bayleef blushed, and then let out a satisfied cry as he remained in his trainer's arms.

A hand was thrust out towards Red, who looked up and saw the Bugcatcher with a huge grin on his face.

"That was a good battle."

The hooded challenger returned his handshake with a cordial smile, and then he stood up, letting Bayleef down onto the ground. Sadao discerned a few characteristics of his face, and he was astonished to find crimson red eyes looking back at him.

"The name's Sadao, what is yours?" asked the Bugcatcher with undisguised wonder.

"... You'll know, _if_ I reach the Gym Leader..." Red remarked, before he sauntered past the trainer, his Pikachu and Bayleef following behind him.

"If, huh?" laughed Sadao as he looked at the challenger that had climbed into the next basket. Whoever the hooded person was, he was pretty smart to not touch the blue lever that was situated at the right. Chuckling, Sadao commented,

"Looks like the twins are next."

* * *

"Look!"

"Look?"

"The challenger.."

"..Is here!"

The twins enthusiastically locked arms with each other, and twirled around in circles like kids they were. The basket halted, and after they alighted, Red, Bayleef and Pikachu were greeted by the chirpy voices of the identical twins.

"I'm Amy!"

"I'm Mimi!"

"Let's battle!" The two chattered in unison. Two flashes of light shot out from their pokeballs, materializing into a Spinarak and Ledyba. Red nodded towards Pikachu and Bayleef, the two chosen to go into battle. A double battle commenced, and the twins wasted no time to shout out an array of commands.

"Comet Punch, then Tackle with a boom!"

"Constrict, then Poison Sting with a boom!"

The two bug types charged forward, their many legs skittering across the ground, as long vines and poisonous barbs were shot out towards Pikachu, who calmly stood there and withstood the ticklish attacks. Despite his whole body being tied up, the mouse showed no sign of fear. Meanwhile, Ledyba's baseball hands went into a flurry of punches, reducing Bayleef's HP by a notch. It then pushed forward to tackle the grass type, but Bayleef dodged the move, preventing damage being dealt upon himself.

"The challenger has something up on his sleeve!" Amy shouted.

"Up on his sleeve!" Mimi echoed.

All of a sudden, Red balled his hands and threw it high into the air as he commanded the mouse, who had been waiting so eagerly to battle that sparks were dancing in the air. Both trainer and pokemon smirked, earning questioning looks from Bayleef and the twins. With the vines acting as a connector to the opponent's side, they could pull this tactic off.

"... Let's finish this with boom, shall we?"

"Pika!"

Suddenly, Mimi gasped and tugged at her sister's hoodie, her small index finger pointing at the challenger's face. Amy frantically looked at that figure, whose features were visible after a mysterious gust of wind blew and revealed whatever was underneath the hood.

Their excitement was cut short when Red swung down his arm, signalling the strike of lightning. Pikachu's whole body sparked off with a blinding yellow light, and soon an overpowered Thunder was conducted through the vines, the long connector breaking into bits as electricity erupted at the twin's side. Both Ledyba and Spinarak shrieked as their HP points were mercilessly cut down in an instant.

The next moment, two fainted pokemon laid on the ground, while their twin trainers were too shocked to utter a word. After a few seconds of silence, Amy and Mimi solemnly returned the bug types back into their pokeballs. To think that a single pokemon had knocked out both of their pokemon at the same time...

"Who.."

"... are you?"

The challenger gave a faint smile as he adjusted his hood, clearly having no intention of answering them. Red approached to their side, his footsteps light and soft, and then he extended out a hand, in which both girls shook it distractedly. After that, the mysterious trainer pushed down the lever that was right next to the twins, and along with his pokemon, they drifted off to ride the rickety basket.

"He had..."

"...Red eyes!"

"Just like..!" The twins shouted in unison.

* * *

I want to sleep.

But my faithful friend Tomomichi refused to let me do so, when he suddenly slapped open the curtains and dragged me off to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

I hate mornings.

Very much so.

So, in order to demonstrate my hate for the dreaded time of everyday, I fell asleep in the toilet. And in return, I got drowned by my adviser's reprimanding words. I was forced to wolf down my breakfast, squeeze into my clothes, and comb my purple hair.

The morning was a little weary today, with the sky's vibrant azure fading slightly, the sloppy clouds above drifting so slowly that you'll think that it was not moving at all. The town was as dreary as I was, the many morning glories in the pretty gardens not at all awake to greet the daylight. I stared ahead and spotted the old house of the famous pokeball smith, where a faint orange light emanated out from the small window, indicating that the wispy old man had pulled another all-nighter, and had forgotten to switch off his lamp while he dozed off on his workbench. The streets were empty, the pathways that stretched across and got lost in the horizon were devoid of human beings, announcing that, indeed, the town was still sleeping.

Meanwhile here in the Gym, was so full of life and activity that I really wondered if I had entered the right place. As for me, I was just blandly and blankly staring out of the window, not at all spectating the battle between Sadao and the challenger. My brain was not working well, and the time that passed me by felt so insignificant that I gave up on trying to keep track of it.

As the Gym Leader of Azalea Town, my job was to sit right at the back of the arena and wait for whoever was coming to get the Hive Badge. And at my spot stood a lofty tree with clumping leaves, the gigantic umbrella providing unnecessary shade for me. Right behind the growth, was a small seat for me to watch the town's activities when I was bored, just like what I am doing right now. But the depressing thing was that there was absolutely nothing interesting going on outside.

Sighing, I snuggled up to myself, thinking that I could catch a snooze without Tomomichi noticing. However, not even five seconds into dreamland, I was forcefully awoken by a shocking clap of thunder.

I hurriedly flipped over and trotted out of the hidden area, and peeked out, just to discover the trees that lined between me and the twins are all slightly singed, electricity creating an orchestra amidst the silence. My body did not move as I gulped nervously, wondering who was the trainer and pokemon that had initiated the move. My questions were answered when a cloaked figure cruised out of the twins' area, a Bayleef and Pikachu on either side of his shoulders.

The challenger reminded me of my work as a Gym Leader and certainly, I'll have to get ready for battle. Getting frantic, I stumbled and fell down onto the soft grassy carpet. I picked myself up and rushed to get my pokeballs that were left back behind the tree, and by the time I returned to my spot, my neatly combed hair was unfortunately messed up, a small twig and a ladybug stuck on top of it. Just in time for the challenger to come navigating over to my side in the rickety basket.

"I'm Bugsy! I never lose when it comes to Bug-type Pokémon. My research is going to make me an authority on Bug-type Pokémon! Let me demonstrate what I've learned from my studies."

I said this all very fast, since I had memorized these sentences by heart, and repeated it multiple times everyday. The challenger simply nodded, before he started observing me from tip to toe. He did not speak as he beckoned the Bayleef from before to move forward, his actions all so ethereal and soft that it spiked my curiosity regarding his identity. I opened my mouth, wanting to ask him for his name, until my faithful friend Tomomichi popped out from the adjacent side, as if on cue.

"Please state your name to register for the gym challenge." He said it with an authoritative voice, as he stood stiffly upright with laptop in hand. As expected of Tomomichi.

"...Red..." said he with a barely audible voice.

Tomomichi got too quiet and I glanced at the man in his twenties, who was frowning as he glanced at the laptop's screen. With doubt written on his face, my adviser stole suspicious looks at the challenger. Whatever he was thinking or what was on the screen, was not known to me. Reading from his expression, I thought he would start fussing over something, but instead he kept calm and closed the laptop, his eyes fixated on the hooded figure. The hooded challenger Red suddenly shook his head and said, "If you are wondering, I am not him."

Him? Who?

The questions tickled at my useless brain, which I had mentioned, was still blurry and unwonted at this time of the day. Meanwhile, Tomomichi still cast those sort of looks at Red, who was distinctively giving a dry smile of a sort. The staring contest between the two battled on for a minute or two, and finally Tomomichi sighed and waved his hands, as if telling us to start the gym battle. Something definitely had happened, but in the end, clueless as I was, I took out my Scyther with half-baked willingness. My adviser then headed off and switched on the status screen that appeared out of nowhere.

"Erm, I will be using three pokemon, and you are allowed to use your whole team."

My dull self then stared up at the two status bars that were displayed with much gusto, and it presented to me a level 17 Scyther up against a level 23 Bayleef. The opponent's pokemon had almost half of its HP left, which was most probably due to the toll from the previous battles. I must admit that I was rather surprised, from both the high level and the courage to fight a Gym Leader with a weakened pokemon.

Not that I wasn't confident, but the previous display of the electric type move at the twins' side had convinced me that I would not be able to win against this person called Red. I might just as well give him the badge. Even if I managed to defeat his Bayleef, that Pikachu would simply destroy my low-leveled team. But if I were to use my proper team, that might be a different case.

I started pondering if I should present the choice of battling my proper team to the challenger. If Red came during the afternoon, I would have immediately asked him to battle my higher leveled pokemon.

Since it was morning, I scrapped away that thought. I don't mind giving another badge away.

"Scyther, use Quick Attack." I called out listlessly. Scyther seemed to sigh at my lack of enthusiasm, before she quickly used the move. Her body weaved towards the bubbly Bayleef, who failed to dodged when Scyther used her blade-like forearms to chop at the opponent. However, the normal type attack did little to cut down the high-leveled grass type's HP. I shouted at Scyther to use another Quick Attack, when Red interrupted by ordering his Bayleef to use Razor Leaf.

I simply raised five fingers, the signal for my pokemon to dodge if possible. Scyther took notice of my command and like a flash, she nimbly did a somersault, dodging almost all of the sharp leaves, except for one that lightly grazed her. I snapped my fingers, and she followed up with the Quick Attack that I said before. Upon landing onto the ground, my bug type pokemon burst off after she kicked off on her clawed toes, the force so great that she went face to face with the shaky Bayleef in one millisecond. And in the next second, Red's pokemon was sent upwards with a loud impact. Turning to the status screen, Bayleef's HP remained in the yellow zone. Nothing less from the high defense stat of that grass type

"U-Turn." I finally said it.

The challenger Red, I must say, had good battle instincts. He had immediately urged his pokemon to dodge the next move which will most certainly spell the defeat of Bayleef. Even so, his efforts were futile, as Scyther whirled herself up, and barreled towards her opponent with the bug type move. The move provided hundred percent accuracy, the rotation it had gave it high attack power and adding that grass type was weak against bug type, it did not surprise the challenger that his Bayleef went down the next moment.

Meanwhile, Tomomichi cried, "Bayleef is unable to battle, it's Scyther's win!"

Since U-turn had ended the battle, there was no need for me to switch Scyther out, so the bug type remained on the platform, as the both of us waited for Red's next pokemon. I eyed at the Pikachu that had been slacking off at the sidelines, expecting the mouse to be Scyther's next opponent, and indeed, the chubby rodent stood up and ambled before us with a funny smug expression.

After the status screen had detected the next opponent, it buzzed a little, the old screen turning to static before it displayed Pikachu's status, HP bar and level.

An insanely high level.

I gaped at the double digits that towered above the Elite Four, the number that could surpass the current Champion. It astonished me, letting my mind go clearer for a minute as I contemplated about the challenger's name. My eyes darted to look at the Pikachu, which somehow looked more and more familiar by the second.

Realization struck me as I gasped, my breath raspy as I accidentally choked onto my own saliva. Everything became understandable to both me and Tomomichi, who had already suspected that the challenger was _that_ person.

Red, the former Kanto Champion.

I regretted not using this chance to fight him with my proper team. Really, I regretted. I regretted not waking up earlier. Regretted not watching his battles against Sadao and the twins. Regretted not noticing this sooner.

Everything was washed away with three Thundershocks, with Scyther, Kakuna and Metapod in complete defeat.

And in my pockets, I was missing one TM89 and a shiny red Hive Badge.

* * *

The wispy old man swung down his hammer in one light swoop, his thick brows furrowed together, his rather long and white hair combed thickly against his scalp, a plainly colored bandana tied on the head to prevent any stray hair from interrupting his work. His hands, wrinkled and rough, handled the chisel gently while his sharp eyes darted about, to sweep away the apricorn chips, to switch tools, to achieve perfection.

His workshop was quaint and could be termed as ancient, since the building itself was made with wood and straw, many of the floorboards moldy and brittle from weathering. It did not matter to the old man, for this place was his haven, including the things that nestled within it. Such as the bench full of apricorn chips, the baskets of colored apricorns, the warm sitting table a few steps away, the many drawers and shelves that held his precious tools and books about pokeball making. And not to forget that it was his beloved granddaughter Maizie's favourite place, with the deep and old smell of apricorns and metal. Lastly was the his late wife's altar, her beautiful face always there while he worked.

He was so immersed in his handicraft that Kurt did not felt the presence of a cloaked teenager who just entered his workshop. The visitor's sneakers scraped against the ground as he slowly approached the old man.

Without averting his eyes from the half-completed pokeball, Kurt's hand shoved the chisel into the hooded figure's face aggressively, shocking Red, the youth barely missing the sharp edge of the tool with his head tilted backwards, almost spraining his neck in the process. He sweat-dropped as he removed his hood, and held up his gloved hands nervously in a surrendering manner.

"Who are you?" Kurt interrogated gruffly, his other hand still busy crafting the pokeball.

"...R-Red..." the boy replied. "... The Old Man.. from Viridian..."

The clattering of tools was heard as Kurt put down the hammer with a bang, startling both Red and Pikachu, who had been hiding under his trainer's cloak. The old man stood up abruptly, his height no taller than Red's shoulders. His wise but keen eyes studied Red's face intently, until he nodded approvingly. Then he went past the boy, and directed him to the sitting table, his stern expression slightly softened.

"Welcome to my workshop, Red. Sorry for the previous greeting, something happened yesterday so I got a little aggressive."

Red slowly shook his head, and along with Kurt, he sat down comfortably beside the sitting table. Pikachu, knowing that the coast was safe, peeked out from the cloak and jumped out. The mouse sniffed in the surroundings, taking the woody smell of the room before he snuggled next to his trainer.

"... Sir-" said the teenager.

"Kurt is fine. Well, that old friend of mine informed me of your possible arrival. I am honored to have another Champion visiting my humble workshop." said the smith with a wizened smile on his face

"...Another Champion?" asked Red.

"Ah, the first one was Ethan, the current Johto Champion. He saved my life and the many Slowpokes that lived in this area. Handled himself like a hero! A real honor to have him as a frequent visitor."

"... I see... Um... May I ask what kind of pokeballs you make?" he asked.

"Ah, I make balls out of apricorns! It's a rather ancient way of making the capturing device since at this age, trainers just use mass-produced pokeballs. But nothing beats a good, old apricorn ball." said Kurt proudly.

"... Then how do you.. sell them..?" Red asked.

"Sell? Oh no, I don't sell them. I make them for free as long as you come in here with apricorns. They will cost a little if you don't have any of those hard fruits, since I'll have to use my own materials. To collect those beauties, you'll need an Apricorn Box."

"..."

"Alright, wait for me here, sonny." the old man said as he stood up like an eager young man. He rushed to one of the drawers and rummaged through it, before he picked out an orange container. Red observed Kurt running to the other side of the room with a small bag, and soon he returned with two items: an Apricorn Box and a bagful of Apricorn Balls.

"No.. I can't accept this..." Red muttered awkwardly.

"Take them, I have lots." Kurt insisted as he shoved the objects into the teen's arms.

"...T-thank you.."

"You are welcome."

Red with a slightly flushed face, kept the gifts and thanked the smith once more. Kurt beamed with a broad grin, before his face went serious suddenly, his voice back to its previous gruffness. "Red, I think I should tell you something."

"... Yes?" Red replied, a little surprised at the change in atmosphere. Pikachu perked up as well for he had sensed the graveness of the matter Kurt was about to say.

"It's regarding the men that had visited me yesterday, I believe you should relay what I say to the League."

"... I'm sorry, but I'm no longer associated... with them..." Red mumbled somberly. Kurt gazed into those red eyes that hid a certain loneliness, and sighing, he patted the boy's back.

"Young man's problems. It's fine. Anyways, about yesterday, a few men in suits had barged into my workshop. Men with no manners at all!" the smith fumed. "And you won't believe what they had demanded!"

Red and Pikachu looked at each other, the two oddly reminded of a certain enemy. Trainer and pokemon turned to look at the old man, their faces lined with concerned and urgency.

"They wanted me to craft a ball that can steal other people's pokemon in battle!" Kurt cried, his face getting redder and his bushy brows more furrowed than before. He told them everything, about how they had made a mess of his workshop, and even threatened him to hurt his Maizie. But of course, he clearly said that it was impossible to do so without the right apricorn. The men then left, saying that when they find the correct apricorn, he was expected to cooperate with them to create the Steal Ball.

"Over my dead body." Kurt shouted as he plucked off his bandana and threw it onto the ground in his anger. Red clenched his fists and then inquired, "... Did they give a name?"

"Hm! One of those evil scumbags did."

"... And... what was it...?"

"Brutus."

* * *

Enormous trees that had the shades of lime green, emerald and pine green towered into the skies. The ancient ones stretched away from the crinkly floor, the young ones grabbing for sunlight, the adult ones like the fortresses of the glades. Their trunks were of a umber brown, rough and peeling. High up on the thicket, the trilling of birds resounded like an orchestra of instruments, the branches and leaves transforming into the graceful ballerinas that swayed to the music. The forest floor was full of crunching brown, red and yellow leaves, creepy crawlies that slithered down into the loamy soil. Flowers and berries lay ripening under the leafy dome of the forest, crackly ferns and mushy moss grew between the small rocks and logs that were strewn on the ground. The underbrush was so close-knit that sunlight could barely breakthrough the bushy defenses.

 _Plunk, plunk, plunk._

A squirrel scurried away, berries in its bosom dropping in its haste. Slinking ferrets glowering at the boy with their intelligent eyes.

 _Plunk, plunk, plunk._

Meanwhile, Red slowly trudged across the rough grass, feeling conflicted inside after the meeting with the smith Kurt. He gave a heavy sigh, while Pikachu squeaked out of concern.

"... I'm fine..." said the trainer.

 _Plunk, plunk, plunk..._

They had been hearing strange noises for quite a while in the Ilex Forest, and now they approached a small shrub that blocked their way to cross the jungle. Red took out Charizard half-heartedly, and asked the pokemon to use the move Cut. Charizard nodded, the fire type not aware of what had happened to his trainer and Pikachu, since he had been sleeping inside his pokeball.

After the shrub was hacked off their path, the threesome walked through the narrow gap, with Charizard burning off the trees a little to make more space for his larger body.

 _Plunk, plunk._

Red gazed ahead, where a small structure stood, which appeared to be a shrine with a dingy and dusty red roof that had faded in color, moss covering one side of it. In contrast, the structure was mainly made with a sleek mahogany wood that seemed to sparkle slightly, the front covered by bamboo doors, a long, thick and purple string hanging across. Gold trinkets and paper decorations adorned it, along with spots of moss that grew at the side of the structure.

 _Plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk._

The noise grew louder, and had perhaps came from the Ilex Shrine. Red and the gang paused for a moment when the bamboo doors of the structure shook and rattled. Pikachu backed away, his ears twitching, telling him that one of his kind was approaching. No, two of them.

Two Pichu.

 _Plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk!_

Red, thinking that something dangerous was coming out, turned left and wasted no time to get away from the mysterious rattling Shrine. He beckoned to the two pokemon, who glanced back at the structure and then decided to follow their trainer. But before the boy could move two steps away from the Ilex Shrine, cries of pokemon that came from below made him halt in his feet, and he cautiously turned his head down.

Two rodents squeaked at him, their angular and black-tipped ears swaying about, eyes shiny and huge like pearls. Familiar red pouches on their cheeks and odd black tail that stuck out from behind their tiny bodies reminded him of a certain pokemon. The two were slightly different, with the one of the left having a paler yellow color for its fur and on of its tipped ears were spiked in an endearing way.

"Pi!"

"Pi?"

And somehow, they reminded him of the twins back in the Azalea Gym. But of course, after reading so many pokemon encyclopedias, he knew exactly these two pokemon were...

 _Pichu._

"Espeon!?" Red cried out in alarm, when a telepathic voice entered his head. He felt for his backpack, but the psychic type's pokeball was not opened at all. He could even sense the warmth of the feline as she snoozed inside the device. Pikachu and Charizard stared at him vacantly, the two pokemon looking confused and wondering if their trainer went mental.

Who had spoken into his head?

The boy got frantic as he looked around, flustered and mystified. He then saw strange lights leaking out of the gaps of the bamboo doors of the Shrine, and he stumbled back and knocked onto the walls of the structure, shouting, "... Who are you!"

As if reacting to his words, the light poured out uncontrollably, enveloping the human and four pokemon all at once. Drowning within the blinding light, Red felt his conscious fading and receding, his eyes feeling all so weary. He grappled with reality, wanting to stay awake, but to no avail when his whole body went heavy like an anchor. Red eyes blinked multiple times, and he finally succumbed to the sinking feeling of sleep. The moment he closed his eyelids, the voice spoke all around him.

 _Celebi._

* * *

 **And this concludes Chapter 11! I apologize about chapter 3, my mind is just so blocked that I can't even do my holiday assignments without going off to sleep. Another fault is my grammar, and annoying sentence structures.**

 **About the Steal Ball, it just popped into my head, and after I wrote it down, I went off to search for anything similar to it on the net. And Bulbapedia provided me a Snack Ball.**

 **I mean, Snag Ball. From the XD... Gale of Darkness.. or something...**

 **Sorry for being so ignorant about the world.**

 **If there are any inconsistencies in the battles and stuff, please notify me asap! :)**

 **Cheers and hope you liked this chapter!**

 **onetimetrip**


	12. Chapter 12: Crisis

Crisis

The six foot tall teenager strolled past the grandiose glamour of an archway, towards the booming behemoth of an edifice that had a hipped gold and bronze roof, four garnet towers encircling the glossy exterior wall of the Indigo Plateau. A daunt straight marble staircase climbed into the darkness of the interior, with two exquisite marble statues at the newel posts. The gold Pokemon League symbol gleamed at the top of the building, and was accompanied by bewitching carvings of the Kanto legendaries next to it.

Most visitors would be awestruck at the sight of the Pokemon League HQ of both the Johto and Kanto region, but not for the Gym Leader, since he was used to this place.

It took some time for him to reach inside, with him sweating and panting a little. The lobby was void of people, except for Nurse Joy at the Pokecenter and the store owners of the Pokemart that were situated on either side of the gigantic space. He then turned left, heading into a narrow corridor, where at the end stood a spiral staircase and a conspicuous guard standing near it.

The Gym Leader then nonchalantly took out a small tag out of his jeans' pocket, in which the guard acknowledged and permitted him access to the upper floors. Ascending the stairs, he checked the time on his Xtransceiver, his face turning up into a scowl, since he was way too early before the scheduled timing. Sighing, he shove the device into his pocket and resumed his climb.

He wended his way through the second level corridor, where plenty of breathtaking paintings lined the walls on both sides. Taking a turn, he was once again greeted by another guard wearing the same uniform as the first. The Gym Leader then followed the guard, and was led to large ebony double doors that looked simple and sturdy. The guard bowed and pushed down the door handle, revealing a classy and air-conditioned conference hall. The Gym Leader stepped inside, and after the doors were shut close, he scanned the huge space with a critical eye.

The prime hall was furnished with a long, opulent oval conference table that had a glossy night blue top, with twenty-one digital screens propped up along the middle, twenty armchairs along the edge and one lone seat at the head of the table. The walls were painted a silver grey, the bright maroon carpeted ground complementing the table's color. The ceiling was made of stained glass and had an intricate symmetrical design, while the source of lighting were spots of lights at the corners that scattered the brightness all around the hall, giving warmth and a sense of importance to this place.

He breathed in the faint lavender smell that lingered in the air, his chukkas scraping against the ground as he walked to his seat. This teenager wore a slate grey chore coat with a white collared shirt inside, a pair of khaki colored cargo pants and a thin leather belt. Around his neck hanged a small pendent that was obscured by the shirt and the last thing that made him looked special was his hairstyle, which was spiky and light brown in color. Green then sat down onto the unbearably comfortable seat, thinking that he could get a nap while he waited for everyone's arrival.

Until an eerie and gaseous hand tapped on his shoulder, causing him to shudder involuntarily.

"Boo." A familiar voice called out. Unable to contain his fear, Green screamed as he frantically pushed the blonde haired young man away. The Haunter that had frightened him chortled maniacally in a corner, the ghost type amused at his comedic reaction. Its trainer was also snickering as tears of laughter flooded his indigo eyes.

"Ahahahaha! You're still so scared of ghosts!" cried the young man, before he doubled over and continued his laughing fit. The Viridian City Gym Leader felt his face going red, both in anger and embarrassment, and finally he jumped out of his seat and glared daggers at the trainer and pokemon duo.

From what Green observed, the other male was slightly taller than him, and sported a cool black sweater that had thick purple hems, white baggy jeans and a pair of purple and black street sneakers at his feet. A purple scarf that was spiked and reddish at the ends was draped over his neck and held together by a small, shiny gold pin. His curly blonde hair was held up by a purple headband, his round and lighter toned face having a pair of indigo eyes, thin eyebrows, straight nose and lastly, a seemingly permanent grin on his lips.

"Matsuba... do you want me to pummel you?" Green muttered with a tone of annoyance.

"I would prefer that you call me by my name, not my surname, Oak-chan." The other Gym Leader purred.

"Morty...!" Green growled as he cracked his knuckles.

"Woah, I was just joking, don't glare at me like that!"

"Keh, I've enough of this, leave me alone."

"You're getting cranky, Oak-chan. Let's carry out this plan to pass our time."

"Don't wanna."

"Come on! You can't be serious about rotting here for one hour until the rest arrive?"

The skeptical Viridian City Gym Leader eyed Morty for a while, before he let out a sigh. Morty Matsuba grinned delightfully, before he whispered into Green's ear. The younger trainer's eyes widened after the little plan was made known to him, and it did not take long for the two Leaders to have a crafty little smirk on their faces.

* * *

The young lady said a quick thanks to the guard, before her legs swum into the conference hall. She knew that she was early, but not to the point where she would arrive first. Right now, the hall was empty, and all for herself until the other Leaders and Elites come in.

She wore a simple cardigan, a plain white shirt and ripped jeans which were perfectly agreeable with her. Her shoes were to be frowned upon for this occasion, since they were a pair of rubber flip-flops that squeaked with her every step. As long as the clothing was comfortable, she'll wear it. Meanwhile, her bright green eyes admired the bluish colors of the hall, for she loved the color blue and literally anything that was related to the sea.

Today felt good, perfect even; her hair was not curling up, her clothes did not itch, and more importantly, she had reached here without accident. Nothing could go wrong, and certainly no one could make it go wrong.

And how wrong she was.

An ominous cackle made her froze in her tracks, while two ghastly voices from both sides of her ears sung out noises that sent shivers up her spine. Another odd high-pitched laughter cried out above her, in which she looked up, and her breath got sucked away instantly as her eyes witnessed a smoky apparition hovering above her.

Misty shrieked and dashed to the door, her thighs numbed and wobbly, her vision wet from tears and whole body cold with fright. But instead of the exit that stood before her, it was a figure that blocked her escape. The terrified female yelped and after shutting her eyes, she picked out one of her pokeballs that was strapped against her hidden pokeball belt.

"S-Starmie! Psychic!" screamed the Cerulean City Gym Leader. Starmie blasted forward in a bright white light and obeyed her command, the two unaware of who they were attacking. The figure shouted, "Time out, time out! in alarm and suddenly another flash of white light shone within the room. A loud bang made Misty blinked open her eyes, allowing her to capture the scene before her.

Starmie's psychic move had definitely hit a target, but was not effective against the calm-looking Alakazam that stood its ground before Misty, and strangely, a frantic Gengar was hovering above the two. The short-haired female then spotted two familiar faces, and everything finally made sense to her.

"What. Were. You. Two. Doing?" she huffed, her green eyes having an furious glint in it.

"Ahahaha... I almost died... there." Green let out a dry and awkward laugh.

"We've picked the wrong target.." Morty whispered as sweat rolled down his cheeks, and then the two Gym Leaders gulped nervously, realizing that they had screwed up.

* * *

"Hey, what happened to you two kids?" Lt. Surge inquired as he removed his shades. "Y'all look pretty dead."

The ex-Commanding Officer always seemed to have his brows furrowed down, and even with his current amused expression, he still appeared intimidating. The muscular and buffed man wore his usual tight sleeveless shirt that flaunted his abs, along with army pants and boots. His electric blue eyes was still watching the two Gym Leaders, Green and Morty, their faces bashed up and in a sorry state. Meanwhile, Misty just snorted, the girl as sassy as ever.

"Ha! Hey, Surge, Misty, and... Waaah! What in blazes happened to the both of you!?" the zealous Blaine shouted. The fire type Gym Leader was donning a red long-sleeved shirt, a white vest and simple brown pants, while his dress boots, trilby hat and cool-looking cane provided him a more youthful look.

"Ignore them, Blaine, the younger generation have their own problems." Pyrce remarked as he hobbled past his shocked friend, the older man having a rather unenthusiastic expression. The balding and grumpy ice type Gym Leader was a lot dumpy than the rest, and he was garbed in a fading blue trench coat, a dull pair of pants and brown leather shoes.

"... Um... Hello everyone," greeted Jasmine shyly, "...Anyone wants tangerines..?" The gentle female, despite being in her twenties, looked younger than Misty, and was carrying a basketful of the sweet orange fruit. Her outfit consisted of a frilly and baby blue one piece dress that looked nice with her orange accessories and smooth brown hair.

"I'll take one, thanks." Sabrina swept past Jasmine as a tangerine floated into her hands, causing the steel type Gym Leader to gasp in wonder. The Saffron City Gym Leader was famous for having especially strong psychic powers for a human, and performing telekinesis was simple for her. The woman wore a maroon turtleneck, and low-waist shorts, while her mid-length hair curved outwards, and her hands had thick black wristbands that glowed green.

The next two who arrived were Bugsy and Falkner, the two looking unnaturally serious. Both Gym Leaders did not seemed to notice their beaten up friend, Morty, and were instead whispering to each other. And their conversation's main topic was none other than the challenger that had visited them not long ago.

Clair entered with her strange superhero costume, with the cape and flashy boots, and no one was surprised since the Blackthorn City Gym Leader had similar tastes to her cousin and former Champion, Lance.

The Elite that got here first was Koga, along with his daughter, Janine of Fuchsia City. The parent and child excelled in ninjutsu, so their prided ninja uniforms fitted them well. However, Janine looked nothing like her father with her big round eyes, small face while Koga had a longer face and stern, beady eyes.

Followed by Erika, the petite and beautiful lady wearing a silk kimono that showed off her figure. Falkner's attention was turned to the traditionally dressed woman, in which Bugsy started poking fun at his blushing face.

Then, Will, the psychic type Elite, strutted in cheerily, his peculiar appearance causing the people in the hall to turn their heads to look at him. With that mask and bartender-like outfit, he could be deemed to be a suspicious person.

"Green, Morty, you guys alright?" Brock asked with a concerned tone. The rock type Gym Leader of Pewter City donned a suave orange v-necked sweater and baggy work pants. His soft brown hair was spiky, his nose having a snub shape and his eyes remained as small as ever.

The next one who tumbled in was the Whitney, who was dressed in clothes that fitted her childish mental age. She then joined in the girl circle where all the female Gym Leaders were chatting with one another.

Karen arrived minutes later, the sexy woman possessing a model figure and pretty Carolina blue hair, and she was clothed in a simple yellow spaghetti strap top, white three quarter pants, and lastly, a pair of high heels.

The last Elite, Bruno, had burst through the doors with Chuck, the two fighting enthusiasts shouting "I arrived first!", but were disappointed to see that they were one of the last people to reach the Plateau.

Right now, all sixteen Gym Leaders and Elite Four were assembled, all of them sitting idly in their seats. There was just one empty seat left, and the latecomer was already five minutes behind the scheduled timing. Then ten minutes. Fifteen minutes.

"I'm sorry for being late!" Yelled Ethan, who dashed into the hall like a madman. His hair, along with the cap, was extremely messy, his casual attire soaked with sweat. Those pair of gold eyes had a certain charm to them, and the Champion was as usual, wild and reckless. After he caught his breath, the boy scampered off to his seat that stood at the head of the table. He squirmed uneasily in the armchair, feeling awkward that he was sitting at the most important seat. The Leaders and Elites greeted him a hello, before they went back to their respective conversations

"Ethan, you'd better treat me and Morty lunch for making us wait for one hour." Green called out with a weary voice, his head laying on the table lazily.

"Eh? Why?" Complained the Champion. The two started their bantering, and Morty joined in with a couple of ghost jokes.

The conference hall got increasingly noisy with all the chatter, and the moment the twenty-one digital screens flashed the Pokemon League symbol, everyone hushed and settled down. Finally, a sonorous voice from a hidden speaker spoke.

"Greetings, Gym Leaders, Elites and Champion, thank you for attending this League Conference in spite of your busy schedules."

Suddenly, the screens displayed the words "Johto-Kanto Pokemon League Conference".

"Now then, shall we start?"

* * *

Red's eyes snapped open, and the teenager hurriedly observed his surroundings. The place looked abstract, with numerous floating clocks and the background was a single white space. There was no ground for him to stand or sit on, nothing for him to touch, and his head felt dizzy just being here. Charizard and Pikachu had woken up as well, and were trying to adapt to this weird space.

He did not know where he was, and where did the two strange Pichu went. Red stood up, or was he standing, he wasn't sure. The confused trainer dug into his backpack and released Bayleef and Espeon, the two pokemon equally muddle-headed.

 _Where are we?_ Bayleef muttered blearily in his head.

 _Wait. How am I able to hear you in my head? I did not use telepathy at all._ Espeon questioned in surprise.

 _And I can speak to you in my mind.._ said Red.

 _How strange._ Pikachu said to himself in skeptical wonder.

 _This level of telepathy is amazing!_ exclaimed Charizard.

 _Of course it's amazing. I'm the one who did it after all_.

Red and his pokemon jumped, and all blinked in surprise when a green, fairy-like creature appeared above them. The queer living thing had strangely long hands that had three fingers each, tiny round feet that had no toes, and clear wings that fluttered slowly on its back. There were distinct black rings around its large baby blue eyes and a pair of long blue tipped antennae on its big round head.

 _You're Celebi... the voice that spoke to me before we ended up here... Where are the two Pichu?_ asked Red apprehensively.

 _Oh, the two Pichu act as the doorkeepers to my dimension, so no worries, they are safe._

 _Stop, you're Celebi? The Celebi? That can't be!_ Pikachu cried out in disbelief, while his teammates had a flabbergasted looks on their faces.

 _Yes I am, you impudent little one. Let me redo my introduction. I am the time travelling pokemon, Celebi. I am directly under the great god of time, Dialga, and part of the mythical pokemon that serve the almighty Creator. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Number Zero._

The all-green pokemon said as she did a deep bow. Meanwhile, Pikachu, Charizard, Bayleef and Espeon went stiff and kowtowed before the mythical pokemon. Red, on the other hand, was having difficulty trying to register what Celebi had said. Finally, he uttered with his mouth,

"... What is Number Zero...? Mew called me that...before."

 _Ahh, you meant that day. During that time, Arceus deemed you to be too young for the task. So now, I suppose I have to tell you the significance of the Number Zero._

"... What is it?" Red breathed, anticipation filling his chest. Back in New Bark, he did not take much notice of it. Now that his curiosity was burning again, he wanted to know more about it, and he will know about it.

 _You are the first card of the Major Arcana, and your title is: The Fool._

After that one announcement, the trainer was swept away by so much information that his mind could have been blown open.

* * *

Twenty-one digital screens switched to the display slide that presented an introduction. All the participants read the information, careful to not miss one single word. The whole hall was deathly silent, and there was not a single creaking of the chair, rubbing of the feet, or anything. It was just silence booming in this place.

On all the screens, such words were written:

 _The purpose of this League Conference is to announce a piece of news that would affect both regions, and the organisation will need all the manpower we have. Whatever is said within this hall is strictly to be kept confidential._

The screens then went blank with a snap, and then the same deep voice from before coughed, demanding everyone's attention.

"I shall take over from here, images will be shown to you on the screens, while I'll be the one doing the narrating."

As if reacting to the speaker's words, the monitors flicked on again, and this time, it unfolded the map of Kanto, Johto and the Sevii Islands. The large map displayed a spatial distribution, where most areas were colored yellow or blue, a few spots green.

"What everyone is seeing now, is the pokemon population around the two regions and the Sevii Islands. It is essential that we prevent an overpopulation of pokemon, and thus we have a team dedicated to maintain the delicate balance of the ecosystems. The data on the screen is from two months back. Now, please look at the changes from then to now."

A different distribution map was shown, one month after the previous one. A few wowing could be heard, while many others had looks of surprise on their faces. Right below Fortune Island of the Sevii Islands archipelago, a small triangular piece of land burned the color of danger.

"This is what we have exactly one month later, right at Birth Island, the pokemon population had drastically increased and we quickly sent a scout team to find out what had happened."

The speaker coughed twice, and then he continued,

"A certain mythical pokemon was discovered to have cloned itself repeatedly."

* * *

After a few shakes by Celebi, Red's gaping mouth finally went shut. He then glanced at the rest, the four pokemon having the same dumbfounded expression.

 _I suppose you have all your questions answered? Now, now, let's move on._

The audience could only nod their head dazedly. They'll slowly take their time to digest the information, after they get out of here.

 _This place is a time-travelling platform. This is my dimension, and time passes at a different pace than the real world. So by the time you all leave here, one full day would be over. And as- Hey, snap out of it and listen to me!_

Celebi clapped its three-fingered hands before the five beings, who sat up straight and properly listened to it.

 _As you all know, I serve Arceus by being part of the mythical pokemon, where each of us are powerful and special. Most of us respect him. And most of us are loyal to him._

 _Most of us?_ All five of them inquired in unison. Celebi's bright blue eyes darkened and its expression went grim. It sighed deeply, before it answered.

 _One of us went rogue._

* * *

"We have quickly evacuated the citizens of Quest and Fortune Island, and there are plans to do the same for the remaining islands. We do not know what is the cause for this sudden occurrence, but we do know the consequences that will follow if no action is taken."

The screen flashed and switched to a video.

"What you will be watching is a footage of the pokemon clones on Birth Island."

The low quality video played, and the camera zoomed in onto the edge of a piece of land, supposedly Birth Island, and immediately all the Gym Leaders, Elites and Champion were thrown off-guard as they witnessed alien-like creatures crawling all over the island. A few of the viewers backed away in their armchairs as they gaped at the horrid scene. Suddenly, the video paused once more, in which the speaker spoke.

"All over Birth Island, there are over three thousand Deoxys. I repeat, three thousand, and the number is still growing. The team was unable to proceed further and had to escape from the island."

* * *

 _Deoxys should be unable to create perfect clones of itself. All its clones should be a lot weaker than the original. Yet now it created so many copies of itself, and each copy is as strong as the real one. None of the mythical pokemon really kept tags on one another, so no one knew what happened to it._

"... But you can't just decide that it became bad just by... cloning itself." protested Red. "Maybe-"

 _It sent a declaration to you humans a month ago, Zero. And all mythical pokemon are very, very sure that whatever it had said, is going to be very, very catastrophic._

"... What did Deoxys say?" asked Red as he felt a lump in his throat.

* * *

The video continued to run, as the twenty-one people stared at the screen intently, at the island that was practically _infested_ with Deoxys. The over three thousand clones silthered over the entire surface, giving it an appearance of an orange and turquoise armoured monster. Gradually, a small heap of that pokemon formed in the middle, where a single Deoxys, clone or not, emerged out of the heap. Its creepy white irises in the black sockets seemed to gaze directly at the camera. As if taking notice of the humans that were filming it, the pokemon glared at them with hatred, and then the crystal sphere in its chest glowed. The next thing that came was totally unexpected, for a hollow and freakish voice echoed within the video, and it was apparent that the mythical pokemon had talked.

"...bzz... Destroy... all... humans and... bzz... poke-bzz-mon... Destroy... Kanto... Johto... Annihilate..."

By now, the people in the conference hall were simply wordless.

Brock was now frowning. Misty gasping in terror. Lt. Surge clenching his fists. Erika covering her mouth. Janine staring blankly. Sabrina's expression getting more and more serious by the second. Blaine biting his lower lip. Green's hazelnut brown eyes widening.

Falkner clasping his hands together. Bugsy's mouth hanging open. Whitney stoning in her seat. Morty drumming his fingers on the table. Chuck's meaty fists hitting each other. Jasmine shuddering. Pryce grapping onto his cane tightly. Clair's head being supported by both arms in shock.

Will's teeth chattered. Koga rubbing his palms together. Bruno with his eyes closed. Karen twirling her hair in nervousness.

Ethan was just glaring back at Deoxys.

The voice in the speaker went grave and dangerous as he confirmed everyone's thoughts, "Yes, everyone, Deoxys-"

* * *

 _You're kidding me! Three thousand of them? Three thousand and still growing?_ Pikachu cried out in alarm.

 _It might reach millions!_ shouted Bayleef.

 _And they're aiming for destruction!_ Charizard added urgently.

 _This is very, very bad._ Espeon shook her head.

"..."

Celebi exhaled, and finally it enunciated,

 _Yes, Deoxys had declared war. On all pokemon and humans of the Kanto and Johto regions._

* * *

 **Cheerss!**

 **onetimetrip**


	13. Chapter 13: The Power of Twenty-two

The Power of Twenty-two

I drummed my fingers upon the sleek conference table as I shifted around in my seat uncomfortably. The armchair was soft and absolutely luxurious, but the fact that the current discussion was so serious and I was situated at the head of the table did not spell well for me.

Just a few days ago, something strange happened to me, but I shall talk about it after this hopelessly tedious meeting ends.

After the grim announcement of war, a good one hour had passed fruitfully, since we had managed to summarize the abilities of Deoxys the DNA pokemon and tactics to counter them. And I must agree that in this war, if we were not careful, we might get destroyed by this fearsome pokemon.

Deoxys had four Formes in total: Normal, Attack, Defense, Speed. And as the names suggest, this level 30 pokemon has dangerous attacking power, sturdy defense, and insane speed that it could change whenever it like. It is highly intelligent, has psychokinesis, regenerative powers and even an unknown signature move called Psycho Boost. The worse thing was, there were three thousand of them, and the numbers continued to be produced like a baby factory.

According to the guy behind the speaker, Deoxys had always been able to clone itself, but not perfectly, since its clones were supposed to be a lot weaker than the original. The League had also managed to find a fatal weakness of our enemy, and it was none other than its heart. One hit at the round purple orb in its chest, it crumbles away into dust.

But even with this knowledge, it would not work if we were not strong enough. It has been centuries since Kanto ever went to war, and the only person that appeared to be dabbled in the arts of its violence was none other than Lieutenant Surge. The burly guy was a foreigner, and he had always told many of his war stories back in other backwater regions such as Orre. You'd expect him to say something smart and useful with his experience and mentality.

"Charge!" Was all he said. Then Chuck and Bruno chanted after him.

 _Of course. He is more of the brawn type after all_. I thought to myself as I rolled my eyes.

The guy behind the speaker then continued to organize their plans to raise an army. The Gym Leaders were given the task to recruit strong trainers with Pokémon level thirty and above. All Gym Trainers were automatically enlisted into the army, not excluding the Battle Frontier trainers, such as the Frontier Brains: Palmer Kurotsugu, Thorton Nejiki, Dahlia, Kokuran Darach and Argenta Kate.

The news of the impending disaster would be conveyed to the public by tomorrow, and without a doubt, disorder will follow, and the League assured that they will try their best to calm the masses down.

"When will Deoxys attack?" Brock asked.

"Our team of scientist led by Professor Oak had estimated it to be in three months' time. The Deoxys are still in their dormant states."

Professor Oak, huh? That's reassuring. I remarked in my mind.

"Another plan to increase our strength is to use legendary Pokémon. They are significantly superior than most Pokémon, but right now, we only have Ho-oh that is in the hands of the Champion."

"Two." I called out. "I've just caught Lugia."

After I said this, everyone started making a fuss, which confused me greatly. Was it that weird to catch another legendary? Two is little compared to Red's four legendary and one mythical pokemon.

 _Wait, what?_

My mind went incredibly alert as my body jolted suddenly, reminding of the promise with Mrs Hilton.

 _Keep his return a secret._

I sensed that someone would definitely say something about that legendary trainer. The question was who. I listened to the various people talking away, careful to catch their every word and react if they ever uttered his name.

Then Misty suggested, "Talking about legendary pokemon, didn't R-"

"Is Lance coming back?" I interrupted quickly. The Tomboyish Mermaid certainly was not pleased.

"Yes, he is. So are Lorelei and Agatha." the guy behind the speaker answered.

"Oh, so is R-" Blaine began.

"So what is the current trainer count?" I cut in again, earning a surprised look on Blaine's face.

"Two hundred strong." the guy replied.

"What if we go and get R-" Sabrina tried.

"So if we multiply by six pokemon per trainer, the army is over a thousand?" I intervened yet again, earning a pissed off click of the tongue by the lady.

"Champion, this is war, so we are to fight along with as many pokemon as possible. It might be able to reach two thousand, but it's still not enough." said the guy, who was still oblivious about my attempts to let anyone mention that person's name. Three people were already looking at me weird, but I did not care. I had to keep my promise. Yet the last person that I had in mind spoke.

"Red." I found Green all laid-back in his armchair as he shouted the name out, resulting the whole hall to hush down, everyone fixated upon the Viridian City Gym Leader. Clenching my fists, I glared at him, feeling angry and irritated. He noticed my eye daggers, but he purposefully ignored me.

I wanted to protest, until he shook his head, causing me to remain quiet. This is inevitable. And deep within me, I was already aware that it was impossible for anyone to not take notice of _him_.

Green then stood up, and continued, "Red has four Legendary and one mythical Pokémon, and all of you should know of his battling skills."

Many started nodding their heads, while Misty cried out, "That's what I wanted to say!"

Pryce raised his hand, which was rare, since the old man was grumpily dull. He questioned, "But where is he?"

The guy behind the speaker did not reply to his query, and I thought Green would be the one to declare Red's return, but instead, two unlikely Leaders voiced out.

First was Falkner, who said, "I battled Red two days ago."

The second one was Bugsy, who stuttered, "I-I-I battled R-Red yesterday!"

Their two announcements took the conference by storm, as words erupted around the table. Most were shocked that Red had returned, but not for me and Green, the two of us astonished for different reasons.

The fact that he had won two Gym battles in two days made the both of us exchanged glances at each other. I then stared at him and he stared at me, and without us realizing, we had broad grins on our faces.

Some of the Leaders then asked where did Red disappeared to, for three years, and in the end, it was me who replied. They were surprised, and very much so, since Mt Silver was commonly known to people as the Impossible Mountain. Then a few started commenting that he would be a great help, and soon it was unanimously decided that Red is to participate in the war.

There was one last announcement left in store for everyone. No one saw it coming, and no one would even expect that they would come in as reinforcement.

"Due to the lack of people, we have seek help from a separate region a week ago, and it has been confirmed," the guy behind the speaker reported. "that the Hoenn Gym Leaders, Elites, Champions and Battle Frontier trainers will arrive in three days time."

It just took one split second for cheers to resound throughout the whole hall. Even my mouth hanged open while the heavy stomps of Chuck, the over-the-top enthusiasm from Whitney, and the annoying clapping that came from many others rumbled around the hall.

Hoenn was a pretty faraway region from Johto and Kanto, and was well-known for having an exquisite nature, strong trainers and Pokémon that can never be found in these parts.

"Wait, if it's Hoenn, will that person come?" Falkner asked.

"That person?" the guy behind the speaker replied.

"Oh, do you mean that kid that quelled the clash between Groudon and Kyogre four years ago?" Clair answered.

"He's seventeen, isn't he?" said Koga. "I've heard that he is the strongest in Hoenn."

"Ha! Another Undefeated Champion! There's loads of youngsters coming up and about." Blaine chuckled. "So! Is Brendan Yuki joining us?"

My eyes literally lit up when I heard that name. I knew that guy. Brendan Yuki.

He was hailed as a hero in Hoenn, and became Champion at the age of fourteen and would have remained as the youngest Champion in the world had not Green and Red entered the stage.

Next, we were provided details of the welcome party that would be held on the evening of August 1st, right at the Indigo Plateau. The word "party" should have enticed me with daydreams of delicious and vast amounts of food, a wondrous ballroom and pretty ladies everywhere, yet the moment the guy said we were to attend in proper attire, I hit my head against the table. Proper attire was tantamount to stifling tuxedos, painful dress boots and awful slicked hairstyles.

"The conference has ended in its entirety, and you are all dismissed!" the guy behind the speaker announced, closing the curtains for this meeting.

There was a shuffle of footsteps and clattering of the furniture, and it did not take long for most to file out of the hall. Meanwhile, I was just wallowing in sorrow in my armchair, wondering if my poor soul could survive the hellish nightmare of formalities.

"Hey, let's go grab lunch." Green's voice called out. I stood up with my back slouched and slowly dragged myself out. We were the only people left in the hall, and somehow I did not even care that Morty had disappeared.

"You okay?" the Viridian City Gym Leader muttered flatly, his expression insipid since all this business was over. I shook my head in reply, and droned on about tuxedos and hair gel.

"Hair gel's not that bad."

"I hate it. It ruins my fringe."

"Never mind. By the way, I'd like caviar dishes for lunch."

"What are you? A vampire that sucks away my money?"

"Then... Wagyu beef."

"I did not agree that I am treating you to a meal."

"Fine, Chutoro sushi."

"Are you even listening to me?"

We squabbled for a minute as we exited the hall and walked towards the stairway, before Green suddenly extended a hand out, halting the conversation. We were a few centimeters away the spiral staircase, and we could distinctively hear the loud and open words of the Johto Gym Leaders who were at the first levels. The two classy guards from before had vanished, so it did not make things awkward while they loitered around. Before the two of us slunk back into the second level, I managed to catch a glimpse of the members that were conversing between one another.

Falkner, Whitney, Chuck, Pyrce and surprisingly, Morty. I wanted to get a closer look, but Green violently tore me away, causing me to ponder why did we need to hide and eavesdrop on what they were saying. Basically, their conversation went like this:

"Since he battled Bugsy yesterday, he will definitely go to-" Falkner began.

"Me! Me! My Gym! Ohhhh, I'm soooo excited to see him in the flesh!" squealed Whitney.

"Quiet down! Hasten your words, Falkner, I don't have the time to entertain you youngsters." The hoarse and grumpy voice of Pryce grunted.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Well, I was thinking that the four of you could go to Goldenrod and meet Red." Falkner continued.

"Hmm? Why so, Hayato?" Morty asked lazily.

"I think that all of you should battle him."

"Wahahah! Good thinking, we should!" Chuck rumbled loudly.

"I don't have time to waste on needless battles." huffed Pryce, and as expected, that grumpy old man had left. Then after, I could hear the long sigh of Falkner, who seemed to be at a loss for some reason. It perked my curiosity, since it sounded like the conversation was not going anywhere.

"... Um..." A shy voice called out, and immediately, I knew that it was the extremely shy Jasmine.

"Oh! Jasmine!" Falkner shouted enthusiastically.

"... Hiee!" cried she, the female taken by surprise by the other Gym Leader's raised volume.

"My apologies, please, can you accompany the three of them to Goldenrod right now?" said Falkner, his tone rather urgent.

"... I have the time..." she replied reproachfully.

"Thank you very much! Morty, and Chuck-san, I assume you are going?" inquired the Violet City Gym Leader.

"Wahahaha! Of course! My spirit's roaring for a good battle!" Chuck boomed.

"I'd like to see how this will play out, so count me in." Morty replied, and I could imagine him having that permanent smirk on his face.

After I heard a few more distanced footsteps, I reached out my hand to tap on Green to tell him that we could leave. But that guy was no longer next to me, and instead I found him striding down the stairs as freely as ever. I refrained from calling him, and quickly curled myself back. Blinking a few times, I observed that the spiky-haired guy was confronting Falkner, who looked as if he had been waiting for Green to come out on his own accord.

"Green, so you've heard everything." said Falkner with a polite tone.

"Your intent was transparent. Trying to use Gym Battles to get him to return to the League, how did you know that he would never comply to orders from the higher ups?" Green replied.

I instantly closed off my mouth with my hands to prevent any gasps from escaping. Knowing Red, he was not one to stay bound to anything. In the first place, it was the League system that had forced him to resign from his Champion title, so it was unlikely that he will be willing to help out.

"It was my best bet." Falkner admitted. "You should all know how strong he is, and how much he will be able to help us."

Green scoffed, and he walked past the Gym Leader.

"Well, of course." He said. "Red is Kanto's Undefeated Champion after all."

* * *

 _Okay, then. I shall change the subject back to the Major Arcana._ Celebi finally broke the heavy silence, as it flew around Red, Pikachu, Espeon, Charizard and Bayleef. While the four Pokémon had grave and bewildered expressions, the trainer's face was simply unreadable. In Celebi's eyes, he looked as if he were hesitant of something.

 _Wait! We still have questions about Deoxys!_ Pikachu cried out impatiently. _You can see the future, right? Can't you just show us some ways to defeat them?_

 _No, I can't. As for your questions, I believe the humans back in the real world will answer them, am I right, Zero?_ The Time Travel Pokémon glanced at the trainer, and it realized that the teenager remained silent.

 _It seems to me that you are unwilling to fight for the Pokemon League._ remarked the mythical Pokémon. Immediately, Pikachu, Espeon and Charizard turned to look at their trainer with concern. These three knew exactly how much Red wanted to avoid having anything to do with the dreaded League, but somehow, they all knew that in the face of such danger, the possibility of him being summoned back was high.

Celebi gave a sigh, before it dove into Red's backpack, startling the trainer as the Pokémon fumbled through his belongings. The teen then shouted in alarm and frantically tried to pull Celebi out, but instead, the green Pokémon fluttered out in a jiffy, its small hands holding onto the moldy box that Red had received from the Unown.

 _Pardon me, Zero._ Celebi articulated. _As for this queer box, I know exactly what it holds._ It quickly hovered to the "ground" and removed the cover of the box, revealing the intricate and mysterious instrument. Red and the gang inched closer, all five of them eager to know the origins of the flute. Celebi carefully held the delicate object, and with a slow and soft voice, it affirmed,

 _This is the Azure Flute. The only item that allows humans to summon the Creator in the Hall of Origin._

The whole team dropped their jaws in wonder and disbelief, before Red uttered, "... Summon Arceus? And why would... the Unown pass me this..?"

Pikachu, Charizard and Bayleef nodded their heads vigorously, since they were equally curious about it.

 _Isn't it obvious? Arceus wants to meet you and the Major Arcana._ Celebi responded with a tone of surprise. It is assumed that once the twenty-two are assembled, you will all know the reason of humanity's existence and thus given a chance to have an audience with the Creator.

 _From what you said, the Major Arcana are supposed to report this "reason" to the Creator?_ inquired Espeon, its eyes staring straight at Celebi, who replied with a frank nod.

"... One question.. how do I identify who is in the deck?"

 _Oops, how could I forget? Anyways, each of the cards will have a tattoo on their bodies once they are aware of their existence in the Major Arcana. You should check yours._

Red blinked twice, before he took off his vest and rolled up his shirt sleeves and pants to check his arms and legs. Finding nothing on these parts, the boy removed his fingerless gloves, and spotted the black mark on the back of his hand. His pokemon all crowded around him as their excitement bubbled vigorously, but their faces fell when they saw the tattoo.

 _It's not a number..._

 _What's that sign?_

 _Hmm hmm? Let me take a look._

Celebi pushed through the group and stared at the symbol with confusion. It was not a zero like what the previous Fools had, but instead, it was a circle with a slash across it.

"... Isn't this a null sign?" The trainer muttered. Celebi lifted the human's hand and examined the tattoo intently, its expression full of curiosity.

 _Moving on_. It finally said.

 _Hey! But it might mean something._ Espeon protested.

 _I don't have the time for this, cat. In the first place, humans and ordinary pokemon cannot stay here for too long. It's for your own good, so if you have any other problems, find the other twenty-one cards._

Espeon gritted her teeth, and with a click of the tongue, she turned away and started sulking.

 _I never knew Espeon-senpai could even sulk._ Bayleef whispered to Pikachu.

 _Believe me, there were worse days._ The mouse sighed. Meanwhile, Celebi ignored the psychic pokemon and went on.

 _All the cards Major Arcana hold the special ability to wield Arceus' Plates, and effectively use his power. So your second task is to find them._

Everything in Red's mind was getting more and more jumbled up as he listened, the words feeling so foreign to the trainer. He was already having trouble believing the whole matter about the Major Arcana, and now this celery-looking Pokémon just claimed that the deck could use Arceus' Plates.

Does that mean he could carry out pokemon moves? Like Ice Beam or Razor Leaf? That's absurd... And if there are sixteen Plates, how can all twenty-two of them use Arceus' power?

 _Wait... why is everything getting blurry? Is it my eyes? No... wait... I... still have questions..._

At the next moment, Red fell to the ground with a thud. Pikachu, Bayleef and Charizard cried out and shook the trainer's body, their faces full of genuine shock. Espeon heard the ruckus behind her back and frantically turned to look, but instead her legs wobbled and gave way. Bayleef let out a small whimper as the leaf on his head trembled and soon he fainted. Pikachu and Charizard on the other hand, were physically stronger and managed to stay on their feet.

 _See, that's why I said you cannot stay in here. Your bodies cannot keep up with the flow of time in my dimension._

 _But we still have so much to ask!_ Espeon heaved painfully, her mouth feeling brittle and dry. Celebi hovered next to the psychic eeveelution and stared deep into her amethyst eyes, as if it were reading her mind. Then it shouted loudly in the minds of Pikachu, Charizard and Espeon.

 _Okay, I get what you all need! Listen carefully what I have to say before you all pass out in around two minutes!_

 _First, the Major Arcana can utilize pokemon moves and types based on the Plates, and the powers can be shared among them. Do note that it's not the cards that choose what type Plate they can wield, it is the Plate that chooses its user, and each card can use only one Plate. As for the Fool, that null sign is certainly intriguing. But for now, I don't have any answer for you. Okay, two questions cleared._

 _Second, keep the Azure Flute in storage. It's too important to carry it around._

 _Third, the reason why you managed to meet the Unown in the cave is because Arceus ordered them to. It was a last minute attempt to save Zero's life, and a chance to pass him the flute. I know that you have a bunch of questions about the Unown, but I am not supposed to divulge anything about them._

 _Fourth, although the future has millions of possibilities, I am certain of one thing. Zero will definitely participate in the war against Deoxys, no matter how unwilling he is._

 _Lastly, the identity of the Magician is Green Oak. And in order to assist you in finding the Major Arcana, I will make this an exception and tell you a part of the future._

Currently, Pikachu, Charizard and Espeon were all on the verge of fainting, their bodies heavy like lead, their vision drawn off with a blank, and their lungs so constricting that all three had to gasp for air.

 _Over the next week, six of the cards will meet. And one card will..._

Pikachu and Espeon blacked out, while Charizard managed to hear the last few words.

 _Gain the power of the Zap Plate._

Seeing that all had reached their limits, Celebi opened the portal back to the real world without any unnecessary movements. Using its psychic powers, the gang exited Celebi's dimension in their unconscious states. After the gateway went shut, the Time Travel pokemon heaved a sigh of relief and then turned around, just to see the two special Pichu jumping around excitedly.

 _Thanks for leading them here._

The two Pichu smiled and then scampered off to play around. After making sure that the twin pokemon had wandered far away, Celebi stretched its body in an attempt to relax itself, before it called out.

 _My lord, the Fool has left. I presume that you had a fun time hiding from them?_

The space vibrated violently, the various clocks that hanged around the dimension shook and clattered, and all of a sudden, there was a bright flash. Then after, a gleaming and mighty creature materialized. The white equine Pokémon had a grey, vertically-striated underside, tail, mane and face, and its four gold-tipped hoofs and the classy cross-wheel protrusion around its abdomen glimmered under an imaginary source of light. It then gazed towards Celebi, those red pupils looking all-powerful and pressurizing. The Time Travel Pokémon said nothing as Arceus treaded forward gracefully, ripples appearing on the "ground" with his every step.

 _Why, Celebi, I was not hiding, but merely spectating in a corner. They simply did not notice my presence._ spoke Arceus, its heavenly and sonorous voice reverberating throughout the dimension. _Your little home certainly looked more lively, with all these clock decorations, compared to its previous bland and uninteresting appearance._

 _That was ages ago, 6 centuries ago, in fact. And we have digressed from our main topic. My lord, what is your impression of Zero?_ Celebi asked.

 _Ah, a fine young human._ replied the Creator with a hearty tone.

 _What about the null sign on his hand?_ inquired the psychic Pokémon.

 _Hmm, what are your thoughts about it?_ Arceus replied with another question.

 _I'm afraid I am unable to perceive anything from it other than oblivion._ Celebi admitted.

 _Oblivion. It has a wondrously nice yet dark ring to it. Now then, Celebi, what do you think of the Major Arcana?_ asked the Creator.

 _I can't wrap my head around that bunch of humans. It's strange that even though I know that six of them will meet up in one week back in the real world, I can never see how they look like. Almost as if something is hindering us from knowing their identities._ said Celebi.

 _Vexing, isn't it? For millenniums, I could only discern the identities of the Fool and the Magician, while the rest would always be a blur in my clairvoyance. But even so, the Major Arcana fascinates me greatly, and I believe they are not mere "original humans"._ commented Arceus.

 _Then what are they, my lord? Out of all_ _Pokémon_ _, you are the one who has lived the longest, and has the most wisdom._ Celebi added.

The Alpha Pokémon chuckled slightly, amused by Celebi's words. It then glanced at the tiny mythical Pokémon that hovered around next to him, before its voice rumbled again.

 _The deck is the manifestation of Earth's will._ said the Creator.

 _Earth's will?_ exclaimed Celebi with much incredulity. _Lord, you are the Master of the entire pokemon universe, isn't Earth's will yours to bend?_

 _You should know better, Celebi. The Earth is something living, and you should be crystal clear that I can never control existences that I had created._

 _Yes, of course, my mistake. But what is your logic and reasoning behind this hypothesis?_

 _My reasoning? Celebi, you have not lived as long as me, but you must be aware of the rise and fall of many civilizations. And I imagine that such happenings are all caused by Earth itself, by having humans to shape this world. They built it, sophisticated it, revolutionized it, and had created wondrous things for this world. On the flip side, they had dirtied it, harmed it, deviled it, and brought many Ages to ruin. In my opinion, the planet wanted these events to come true. If you studied closely, throughout history, the ones that had instigated prosperity or destruction has always been one group of people._

 _The Major Arcana._ Celebi muttered before it gasped in realization. _Oh my goodness, the null sign... Oblivion._

 _That is nothing but a possibility. You are the Time Travel pokemon, and were you not the one that had just said that the future is full of millions of possibilities?_

 _I... My lord..._ And no other word came to Celebi's mind as a frown creased down upon its baby blue eyes.

 _Do not fret,_ said Arceus as his gaze softened. _Zero has always been the lucky number of beginnings, and whether this generation brings the world to ruin or let it prosper, only time will tell._

* * *

"Tell me again, why are we here?" I asked sarcastically through gritted teeth. This weird setting of a fast-food restaurant situated in Viridian City, all those beeping and electrical noises coming out from the cashier counter, that annoying slurping noises that came from the adjacent seats, the hustle bustle of people and most importantly, the Gym Leader that was sitting coolly opposite me.

"Because I want to eat burgers." He replied with a bored look as he picked up a fistful of french fries.

"No, why are we here!?" I shouted irritably.

"Because we're here to eat lunch? The heck's wrong with you?" Green muttered with a mouthful of fries.

"After all of that, I'm amazed you could sit here like nothing happened! And why are we wearing these get-ups anyway!" I stretched the odd striped shirt that looked exceedingly weird on me, and pointed at the clown wig and sunglasses I was forced to adorn myself with. Green, on the other hand, wore similar sunglasses and was wearing my cap, which magically flattened down his stupid hair. I can't fathom why I was the only one looking like a comedian.

"Disguise." the Gym Leader said before he bit into his chicken burger.

"Disguise, my ass! You just want me to look silly!" I yelled over the noise, my cheeks reddening.

"Tch. Busted." Green breathed. I glared at him, before I calmed myself down, knowing that this was necessary for people like us when we go out onto the streets. Then I rapped onto the table while drinking my coke.

"I still don't get it. Why did Falkner ask the four of them to go and battle Red?" I asked out of the blue since the question had been bugging me incessantly.

"Not telling. Go find out yourself or work that brain of yours." Green said. Giving an irked click of the tongue, I decided to talk of the strange dream that came to me a few days before.

"There was this weird voice talking to me, saying things about cards and whatnot. Green, do you know about the Major Arcana?" I asked. Immediately, he froze in place, his brown eyes so wide and surprised. Then he choked onto his food, spluttered, and started hitting his chest while coughing. I hurriedly passed him his drink, and he thankfully received it. He took in a long breath, and after a few moments of respite, he spoke rather circumspectly.

"Are you a card?"

I snapped my fingers excitedly, as if a light bulb of realization had popped above my head. Nodding enthusiastically, I inquired,

"Are you one too?"

"I'm Number I, the Magician!" Green replied, his eyes sparkling with a rare sort of exhilaration.

"I'm Number VII, the Chariot!" I cried out while pointing to myself.

The two of us went wordless for a second, before we burst out laughing. People around stared at us funnily, their gazes branding us as weirdos.


	14. Chapter 14: Purpose

Purpose

The big adult had a head of messy hair, like his. The color was brown, or maybe black.

He was tall, and his face was blurred out considerably.

His hands were big, reassuring, yet oddly distanced. His smile was happy, sad, nostalgic, a mix of emotions within that expression.

"Who are you?" the strange man asked.

"Red!" Chirped the three-year old boy.

"Where are you from?"

"Paller Towun!" he tried to pronounce his answer.

"Where are you going?"

"Forward!"

The corners of the man's lips reached further up, before he opened and closed his mouth, his words muffled. His hands then reached out to ruffle Red's messy black hair, then he whirled around, his broad back facing the child.

He felt like he know this big adult. As if they were connected in ways unimaginable.

The man simply turned back and stared at him, before he smiled once again.

And left.

The man's eyes...

Were red.

Just like his.

* * *

People say, life is full of ups and downs. For Red, he was surely at the so-called "down" part of his life. The "down" was low, low enough for him to give out a minute long sigh.

There was a war that he would join no matter what, and he was told that he was part of some weird deck. And he can use the powers of the Pokémon types.

Arceus must have played an awful joke on him. Especially the matter about the war.

All he wanted to do was to travel around Johto, collect the badges, fill up his pokedex pages and go to the next one. Such a normal and simple desire, and yet fate played a cruel note upon him, dragging him back to the place he wanted to avoid the most. He was not granted peace by society.

He was incredibly reluctant to go back to that place of commotion and people. Plus, all his efforts to stay low would go down the drain, and he would definitely experience hellish interviews and questions that the public would bombard him.

Minutes ago, his Xtransceiver had beeped twice, informing him of a voice message that was sent to his inbox. And as expected, an exceedingly authoritative voice spoke, "Trainer Red, we require your assistance, please come to the Indigo Plateau on the 30th of July, at 1900."

The day after tomorrow. Evening.

Someone please wake him up from this nightmare.

As he and Pikachu trudged on the pathway that leads pto the guard house, the two let out another long collective sigh, before the trainer pulled out his cloak and wore it. He stepped into the structure, and walked forward tentatively, trying very hard to avoid the gazes of anyone. Pikachu, on the other hand, just perched on his shoulders upright, a funny sense of dignity around the mouse.

"Oh!"

Red froze, before he finally turned to his right, just to see a woman beckoning him to come over. She was clearly not a guard, and neither could he spot anyone else other than her in the guardhouse. The trainer hesitated for a moment, but sensing that the female meant no harm, he shuffled towards the counter.

"Hello, honey, I am a saleswoman from the Goldenrod Department Store, and we're giving out free TMs." She said courteously, unperturbed by the traveler's appearance.

"… Isn't this a guardhouse..?" asked Red.

"Oh, this building? It's just a rest station. Looks similar to the normal guardhouse, doesn't it?"

He nodded in agreement.

"You might find this TM useful." She grinned, before candidly passing him the disc cover. He thankfully received it, and read the sticker on it which read: TM15, free sample.

"TM15 contains Taunt. Use it and the target Pokemon can only use moves that do damage to your Pokemon for a while. Oh, do go and visit our store!"

"Thanks…" said Red, who kept the complimentary item into the TMs and HMs Pocket. He then waved a goodbye to the lady and walked off.

"Good luck in your endeavors!" she called out amicably. The traveler then exited the rest station, gasping in delight the instance he basked under direct sunlight. After being stuck in the dense Ilex Forest for hours, the afternoon sun brought a relaxed smile to his lips. Glancing at the sign that was not far off ahead of him, it was apparent to him that he still had quite a way to go to reach Goldenrod.

He meandered through Route 34, occasionally battling some random kids, pokefans, picnickers, campers and trainers. The colorful variety of people that loitered around the route gave him a number of opportunities to earn some money through battling, as well as leveling Bayleef up.

A short distance ahead was a house with a striking red roof, with a cutesy sign saying: Pokemon Daycare. The trainer got closer, observed that there was a large yard where all sorts of Pokemon could be seen with a single old man tending to them. It seems that business was booming.

Walking a few more steps forward, Red and Pikachu spotted the tall archway that served as the entrance to Goldenrod City. Pikachu started fidgeting around restlessly, while his trainer had a warm glow on his cheeks, the two excited about entering a new place, worries put aside.

The metropolis sucked away the breaths of the newcomers, who awed and gasped at the spectacular scenery of skyscrapers, colorful streets and the sheer populace. Lights blinked at the duo, the lavishing sunlight reflecting off the glassy surfaces of the self-important buildings. All walks of life dominated the concrete ground, swarms of human beings and Pokemon buzzing left and right at different walking paces. There were foreigners among the crowd, strange Pokemon mingling in between, and even odd cosplayers that strutted around, which made Red felt at ease, since his appearance would not be regarded as suspicious is such a liberal place.

Looking up, there was a giant satellite dish that moved at snail's pace, a long train track that stretched eastward endlessly, and massive metal giants that towered over everyone. A single building stood out from this cosmopolitan forest, with a flat orange roof, glossy orange tinted windows and colorful banners that demanded the attention of many. It even had a giant signboard saying "Goldenrod Department Store". This place does live up to the name of "A Happening Big City" and was truly the center of Johto's economy and telecommunications, which was very much similar to Celadon in both size and population.

Amidst this bustling cosmopolitan city, Red had an idea where he wanted to go next. He thought of healing Bayleef up first at the nearby Pokecenter, but after witnessing the appalling queue outside the small building, he waved away the choice. Then, he headed straight to the Department Store.

The ground floor had a huge service counter occupying most of of the plain space, while most people strolled up the escalators or taking the lift to get to the upper storeys. Red went along with the flow and arrived at the second storey, which was as lively as the city, with massive number of customers browsing through the shelves, the staff members rushing around to do their work. The ceiling sparkled, with many spots of LED lights brightening up the interior, and there was a horizontal signboard that had the following block letters "TRAINER'S MARKET: YOUR TRAVEL COMPANION".

Red and Pikachu then went off to buy supplies that he did not manage to procure back in Violet City, and adding that a sale was going on, they got everything at insanely cheap prices. After packing everything into his backpack, it became several kilograms heavier, but nevertheless, Red was satisfied.

Further in, another sign wrote "BATTLE COLLECTION: FOR VICTORY SEEKERS". The products this section sold was mainly temporary stat-enhancing items, which Red did not use, so he skipped it and went to the next section, which was a TM corner. He spent his money on some interesting looking yet costly TMs. Feeling more pumped up than ever, Red and Pikachu ascended to the next storey, eager to explore this fascinating place.

The first section the two came by in the third storey was the Medicine Box, which sold many pricey permanent stat-enhancing products. Checking his wallet, Red exchanged glances with Pikachu, and after much discussion, he decided to buy some for the team, adding more weight to his backpack. The second section of the floor was a Pokemon Snack Corner, in which Pikachu's eyes lit up voraciously, a trail of saliva creeping down his chin.

And of course, Red could only be at the mercy of the electric mouse and attend to his desires.

The fourth storey exhibited a wide range of female fashion and kids clothing, the duo gasping in wonder at the sight of the vivid selection of colors. There was also an area that sold protective gear of all sorts, and even useful gadgets that aid trainers. After viewing the many products out of curiosity, the duo headed up to last storey.

As expected, the fifth floor had an array of male clothing and many hilarious costumes that tickled their sides. The queer outfits never ceased to surprise them, and they even spied a mannequin that wore Red's red vest, black shirt and jeans, and various others that presented the attires of many famous trainers. There was even one wearing Professor Oak's familiar lab coat.

The two journeyed through the shelves and racks, slipping past people who were neither aware of his identity, nor bothering to know. Red then tottered off, with a grin on his face, as he enjoyed the luxury of moving around so freely. Finally, they ended up in an area that had three whole lines of capes and cloaks that was devoid of people, since most customers would not even think of purchasing such finery.

"Excuse me, could you step aside?" a deep and rather muffled voice spoke from behind him. Surprised by the sudden intrusion, Red and Pikachu both yelped at the same time and they scooted off to the side in a heartbeat.

Behind them stood a tall man that wore a strangely familiar cape, blue long-sleeve shirt and pants that had dark orange lines vertically across the chest and round the sleeves. Half of his face was obscured by a wide hat that appeared out of place with the rest of his outfit. The moment Red and Pikachu turned their heads around, they gasped in surprise, while the man brushed past them as his hands impatiently shuffled through the capes.

"... Don't you remember... me?" the boy unintentionally blurted out. The man momentarily halted his activities and glanced at the boy, cocking his head to one side in confusion.

"I've never seen you before."

"... You're Lance... Right?"

"Oh yes, I am- I mean, no! I'm not! My name is.. er... Lancelot! Different man!" he cried, flustered as his hands left the racks.

"... Seriously.. you need not hide..."

"Who are you?"

"...Red."

The man inched closer, his eyes finally meeting the red eyes of the teenager.

"R-R-R-R…!" stuttered the man.

"Shhhhhhh!" Both Red and Pikachu hissed, fingers to their lips.

"It's you. It's really you." He exclaimed while blinking his eyes multiple times, his brows furrowing down.

"…. Yeah, long time no see…" said Red, while Pikachu waved his paw as a greeting. Glancing at the small clump of cloth within the man's arm, Red smirked and teased, "… Buying capes again?"

"Uh, no, this is.. Fine, yes." The man replied with much annoyance. "Wait for me here, I'll pay for these first."

Grabbing yet another black cape, he dashed off to the cashier.

"Pfft." The trainer and his Pikachu could not help but let out a stifled laugh. Then the two sat down on a nearby cushion and waited. Ten minutes passed by uselessly, and finally the same caped man walked over to the duo with a rather tired expression.

"Sorry for the wait." Lance said with a smile. "Shall we go to a café? My treat."

* * *

Red surveyed the interior of the café that was furnished beautifully: rosewood tables and chair, wooden walls with gold patterns, quaint lamps providing a dimming lighting that set an elegant atmosphere. Lance, as usual, had good tastes.

Flipping open the menu, he studied the sumptuous looking pictures of pies and cakes.

"Choose whatever you like." Said Lance.

In the end, Red picked the red velvet cake, while Pikachu favored an extra large Pokémon Cupcake.

While waiting for their orders to arrive, the two people chatted idly.

"Care to tell me where have you been?"

".. Same to you..."

Lance leaned back on his chair, his arms propping up on the table, fingers interlacing. He looked as confident as ever, not a trace of self-doubt within his gaze, eyebrows furrowed down, a pleasant smile on his lips.

"I went around Sinnoh."

Widening his eyes in response to the short answer, Red blinked, before he narrated about his time on Mount Silver.

"Ah." Was all Lance uttered after Red finished his side of the matter. The man then studied the teenager before him closely.

"You've grown." Lance said with a satisfied nod. "I suppose I look the same as ever?"

"..." Red just gave a small smile.

"I see you've grown quieter."

"..."

"Well, shall we cease our talk? Our orders are here." Lance winked towards the electric mouse, who swallowed his saliva as his nose sniffed an alluring aroma.

A young waitress, dressed in classic black and white, walked over to the customers, her left hand skillfully balancing a tray with tarts and cake on it. After she set the plates onto the table, she politely said, "Enjoy." and left.

"Have you tried coffee?" Lance muttered as he swiveled his own cup of cappuccino, the pretty leaf design slowly dissolving into the drink. Red shook his head, his dessert spoon scooping the cake in an ethereal fashion, while Pikachu was chomping on his cupcake like a ravenous predator, his whole face creamed with icing.

The Dragon Master chuckled, before he raised his hand to make another order.

Two minutes later, a cup of piping hot latte was served, causing Red to feel surprised and embarrassed. Thanking Lance, Red proceeded to take a little sip of the drink.

"..It's good." whispered Red, who was grateful for the chance to savor such a flavorful taste. Many of his early teenage years were spent on Mt Silver, so he felt strangely mature after drinking coffee for the first time.

Meanwhile, Lance was relaxed as he observed the young trainer for quite a while.

"Do you know about the three great questions in life?" he asked objectively.

"... I'm not too sure." admitted Red as he took another sip of latte.

"Allow me to educate you." Lance said, as he raised one finger up. "According to scriptures, the first great question is this: Who are you?"

Red's scleroses moistened as the three words resonated within his brain, sounding all so familiar. Lance took no notice of his reaction, and raised a second finger.

"The second great question: Where are you from?"

Red hurriedly gulped down a mouthful of latte, not bothering to slowly taste it in his haste. Then, Lance raised a third finger.

"The third and last great question: Where are you going?"

The man paused for a while, witnessing Red chugging down the drink. The cup was finally put down on the table, the inside lined with residue and having sparse drops of latte.

"Isn't it scalding? How can you drink so fast?" Lance cried out in disbelief.

Red smacked his lips, a tingling and painful sensation left on the tip of his tongue. He waved away Lance's exclamation and attempted to nurse the burn. The Dragon Master stared at him, before he returned to the conversation.

"And now, I'd like you to answer me these three questions."

"... Me?"

"Yes. Your life's three questions."

"..."

The ellipses continued on for almost ten minutes, with Red eating his cake in silence, Pikachu resting on his seat with a bulky stomach. The mouse had listened to their conversation, and along with Lance, was waiting for his trainer's response. Finally, he munched the last bit of the red velvet, and placed the spoon on the plate, producing a bright tinkling of metal. He wiped his mouth with the napkin provided. The long stifling silence was finally lifted, when Red looked at Lance directly into the eye.

Taking a deep breath, Lance straightened himself up and listened attentively.

The trainer replied,

"I'm still searching."

Silence fell between the two, the audible ticking of the clock accentuating the lack of words of Lance and Red. The faint illumination continued to wash over their table, a hint of sunlight piercing through the pearl-white curtains that smelled of lavender. The aroma of freshly baked cookies swept past the café, and the bells at the entrance rang upon the arrival of yet another customer.

Sipping his coffee, Lance glanced at the boy, and setting the cup onto the table, he said, "Searching, eh? Now, ask me back the same questions."

"... Who are you?"

"I am Lance."

"... Where are.. you from?"

"From the famous Khoth Clan of Dragon Masters."

"... Where are you.. going?"

"To be the greatest Dragon Master."

He was so confident, and that serious expression on his face unnerved Red, who felt ashamed.

"But! These are just superficial answers. I remain unsure. I've been through the adolescent years, and I would have said the same thing as you. Because in the end, all human beings search for the same thing in each of our lives."

He drank the last mouthful of his cappuccino.

"Ourselves."

All of a sudden, a loud ringing of a jazzy melody broke the conversation, and Lance hurriedly excused himself to answer the call on his Pokegear. When he returned, he apologized for the wait, and said, "Sorry, it was my cousin."

"...Your cousin..?"

"Clair. Gym Leader of Blackthorn. I believe you've met her before."

A stunning lady with light blue hair, eyes, clothes and most importantly, a black cape similar to Lance's, it did not take twice for Red to remember who she was. A nod of the head, and Lance smiled.

"She brings news. The League Conference was finally brought to an end."

"... Oh." Red replied flatly.

"The higher ups have summoned both you and I to go back to the League."

"... Oh." A wilful answer. Lance noticed nothing of the sombreness behind the word.

"Well, it seems that she caught wind of something rather intriguing. Apparently, four Gym Leaders are coming to Goldenrod as we speak."

"...Mmm..." Red's spoon scraped against the plate, the teenager trying to distract himself.

"And their purpose is to fight you."

Pikachu let out a surprised "Pika" and perked up his ears to listen to the two humans. Red folded his lips in, the spoon digging at the plate harder and harder.

"Knowing you, you probably don't want to fight in the war. Now there's four of then that are coming to drag you back. So are you going to fight? Or run away again?"

The spoon clattered against the plate, and Red's eyes stared at the man, who was having a stern gaze, his chin resting on his interlocked fingers.

"I..." He began.

"I just want to stay low." Lance cut in, completing his answer. Red said nothing, his fingers smoothing over the handle of the spoon.

"You're hesitating." The Dragon Master sighed. "Reluctant. Was the fame during your reign too much? Was that why you disappeared? To Mt Silver?"

"... Maybe."

"So what are you going to do? Are you going to face it, or completely give up on getting the badges?"

"..."

"You disappoint me, Red. You're weak, so much weaker than before."

"W..What?"

"Let's see, I think I've got a chance to win against you."

"Pika Pika Chu!" Cried out the mouse angrily. They had trained so hard on Mt Silver and yet Lance declared that he can defeat them? Being underestimated left them a sour taste.

"You are weak. This is a fact."

".. No." Red said with a firm tone.

Taking out a napkin, Lance softly dabbed his mouth, before he stood up. He walked to the counter, took out a wad of cash, and then headed to the door. Turning to Red, he displayed no emotions on his strict face, and instead called out,

"Follow me."

* * *

His cape drifted in and out, appeared and disappeared as he bravely moved through the current of people. He was bumping into the shoulders of many, but he cared little of it. Meanwhile, Red and Pikachu struggled to follow his figure, their eyes trying to fish Lance out of the masses. Their various attempts to halt the man were fruitless, since the noise had effectively muted their cries. Nevertheless, both trainer and Pokemon did their best to keep up as they passed by countless identical looking buildings that caused them to wonder if they were moving in circles.

After what seemed like an eternity, both males ended up in a small dark alley with bins littered at the dead end. Lance gazed up at the flat wall that loomed over him, and then realizing what had gone wrong, he turned his head back to face Red and Pikachu.

"I'm lost." Declared Lance, who seemed rather proud that his sense of direction had failed him. Red and Pikachu face-palmed, both remembering that the Dragon Master had always been a directionless idiot.

"But I believe we'll get to our destination!" Said the trainer as he headed out of the alley. Left with no choice, Red and Pikachu followed after him, both skeptical towards Lance's statement.

After a good ten minutes of scurrying around, as expected, they ended up at the same alley, in which the duo face-palmed themselves once again in slight annoyance.

"We'll get there!" Said Lance, his confidence not at all diminishing.

"... If you're the one leading... I doubt it." Murmured Red, as he turned over to trail behind Lance, the boy dreading another long and agonizing trip of going nowhere.

"One more try!" Said Lance after hitting the same dead end for the fifth time. And letting out yet another sigh, the other two went after the persistent man.

"One more!"

"Soon!"

"We're reaching!"

"We're here!" Finally the words that Red and Pikachu wanted to hear were at long last, out of Lance's mouth. More than a half hour had been wasted, and eleven attempts were made futile just to arrive at their goal.

Lance had brought them to a building that was fairly large, with a pink and white spotted roof design, pink outer walls with light purple triangular patterns at the top edges. Potted lilies in different shades of pink were planted on the sides of the entrance, glittery and cutesy decorations were hanged around the frosted glass windows, and the Jigglypuff shaped door that was once again, an unbearable hot pink. A bland yellow and squarish symbol stood out from all the pink notoriously, and the Pokemon League golden symbol showed off in an even more alarming manner.

"... The... Gym?" Red whispered, not comprehending Lance's intentions of being here.

"Woah, lucky." Lance muttered in delight as he realized that the doors were unlocked. "Thank goodness that Whitney's a ditz."

"Shall we enter?" Lance smiled, before he lightly pushed open the Jigglypuff door and walked into the building casually. Red, on the other hand, faltered for seconds, before Pikachu nudged him in the cheek.

"... I know, I know."

The interior was dark, except for a bright light at the right corner at the very end of the space. There were no Gym Guide, no trainers and only Lance stood before him.

"Come along now, we don't have all day." Lance called out impatiently. "They're waiting."

"... Who?" Red asked, but received silence from the Dragon Master. Lance strode off in the direction of the light, and Pikachu spied an excited grin on the ex-Champion's face.

"Watch your steps." Lance warned, as he crossed over a small mound of plushies, but seven seconds later, his foot accidentally tripped over a Audino soft toy that was strewn across the floor. He let out a sharp cry, and fell flat on his face with a painful thud. Following after, footsteps traveled towards them, and four heads popped out from the light.

"Who's there?" A gruff voice shouted fiercely, and the lights of the Gym were switched on, blinding both Red and Pikachu, the two shielding their eyes on impulse. Red looked forward cautiously, and found two males and two females staring at Lance. One of the males was half naked, his round stomach protruding out and he had long sideburns that circled around his cheeks, while the other was a blonde that looked aloof and strangely calm, almost ghostly.

For the females, one of them had brown hair that reached her waist and wore a simple dress that showed off her demurity. The other girl had outrageous pink hair that was styled into short bangs and pigtails, and she wore a sporty outfit.

The chubby man ambled towards Lance, and single-handedly grabbed him by the collar of the cape, raising the grown man high up into the air. Meanwhile, Lance gripped onto his huge hat, the Dragon Master irritated that his plan to jump a surprise on the four Gym Leaders had went down the drain. But no matter.

"Show me your face!" Yelled Chuck, who roughly tore the hat away from Lance's grip and the instance his identity was revealed, all four Gym Leaders dropped their jaws. Chuck fumbled over his words in shock and then gently brought the man to ground level, before apologizing for his rash actions.

Meanwhile, Whitney started cheering enthusiastically, clearly excited by the appearance of the previous Champion.

"What brings you here?" She asked. "Oh? And who might you be?"

The Whitney's question brought everyone's attention to the silent teen. Red fidgeted and slowly backed away, his thigh muscles urging him to run.

Why did Lance bring him here? He wasn't ready. Not at all ready to meet these people, much less battle them. He regretted entering this place.

"Stop running away." Lance said softly, audible within the big room, and within his words, it hid a certain sternness. Those words seemed to hold onto his very soul, and his own conscious spoke the same words repeatedly to him.

"Stop running away. Stop running away. Stop running away. Stop running away..."

"I know, I know, I know." He whispered to himself, feelings so breathless just by staying still. He lifted his shaky fingers to the edge of the fabric of the hood, and with a lump in his throat, he flung down his cover.

All four Gym Leaders stared at him, at his strange red eyes and black hair. Realizing who he was, Morty and Jasmine gaped at him, both stunned beyond words. It took slightly longer for Whitney to take notice, and when she did, she started hyperventilating, her small hands fanning herself. Her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes grew wide in disbelief. She dared not believe that he was standing before her.

"Who's that?" Chuck leaned towards Morty and whispered, his eyes fixated onto Red.

"Huh? Can't you see?"

"Harumph... No."

"That's Red."

Chuck muscles stiffened, and his breath cut short, before he shouted an "Eh" that echoed throughout the whole room for a long time.

"No way! Tell me you're kidding!" hissed Chuck.

"Do I look like I am?"

"You always look like you do!"

"Ossan, sorry for being born with such a face." Morty replied irritably. "But that's really Red. You can go ask him if you don't believe me."

Chuck then took tentative glances at Red, the latter trying hard to avoid eye contact. When his doubts were ascertained, Chuck went forward and his chubby hands grabbed onto Red's slender ones.

"It's really you! Nice to meet you! The name's Chuck!" Red grimaced slightly, since the Fighting type Gym Leader's iron grip had the potency to break a finger or two. Then Morty came in between them, allowing Red to tear away from Chuck. The blonde studied the younger trainer for a while, before he smirked and said, "The name's Morty. The brown haired lady there is Jasmine, and the annoying pink haired brat is Whitney, the Gym Leader of theGoldenrod gym."

"I'm not annoying!"

"So? Are you here to battle us? The four of us would happily oblige." Morty continued, disregarding Whitney's protests.

"... N-n-"

"Yes, he is." Lance interrupted.

"Wahahaha! Then let's start! Right now!" Chuck announced heartily.

"No, wait! I want his autograph first!" Whitney jumped in, her hands thrusting out pen and paper.

"Annoying as ever." Morty murmured between teeth.

"Shut up, you Blondie!"

"Pink hair!"

"Natural perm!"

"... Um..." Jasmine called out, but her soft voice made no impact on the two Leaders.

"Morty, you stupid stupid stupid!" fumed Whitney

"Is your insult vocabulary limited to just "stupid"? Oh, right, you're stupid."

"I'm not!"

"The two of you, enough! There are visitors here!" Chuck shouted, sticking his arm out to stop their petty argument. Morty then begrudgingly skipped away from Whitney, while the Goldenrod City Gym Leader was still full of fight. It was when Jasmine pulled her away did she finally calm down.

"Are they always like this?" Lance asked Jasmine, who let out a stifled yelp at the sight of the Dragon Master. She shuffled further away from him, and gave a nod of the head.

"Funny. They were more friendly to each other in the past."

"... Stuff happened.." Jasmine admitted.

"Okay! Champion Red, ignore those youngsters. Shall we fight?" Chuck turned back to the red-eyed teenager, eyes full of enthusiasm.

"No! I want to fight first!" Whitney raised her hand, her mind had already forgotten the animosity she was aiming towards Morty.

"Nuh uh, you're after me." Morty said.

The three Leaders bickered, all wanting to attain the first spot to battle Red, while Lance, Jasmine, Red and Pikachu were left forgotten.

"... I don't want to..." Red muttered.

"Pardon?" Lance asked.

"... I don't want to fight..." Red swallowed. "I don't... want to join the war..."

"Neither do I."

Red turned his head to look at the man in surprise.

"I want to go on with my life and do whatever I want. Just let the rest do the job, while I relax and enjoy the peace. But if I do that, I'll be betraying many things."

"My family, my friends, the Gym Leaders, my home. They are all things I want to protect. Don't you have yours too?"

"..."

"You know, if a weakling tries his best to protect something that is precious to him, he is a strong person. But if a strong person doesn't put effort to do the same thing, then he is a-"

"A weakling..."

"Exactly."

"... That's why... you said I am... a weakling."

"If that's not enough reason, I could give you one more." Lance said.

The Dragon Master walked away from the trainer and stopped a distance before him. The three other Gym Leaders then stopped momentarily, while Jasmine apprehensively; the female was shy towards strangers, and in this case, the strangers were Red and Lance. Outstretching his arms, Lance's cape flapped a little, and the man smiled with confidence.

"Fight us."

"... What? How does that... help?"

"Who knows? You may discover it yourself. Sometimes, you just need a stimulus to work things out."

"..."

Lance beckoned the four Gym Leaders to come forward, and they all scrambled forth, wondering what was happening between the two trainers.

"What do you say about fighting us in Elite Four style?" Lance suggested. "With me fighting you as the 'Champion'?"

The four Gym Leaders gasped in astonishment, while Pikachu looked so excited that sparks were leaking out of his cheeks.

".. Fine by me." Red replied.

* * *

"Hah..." he let out a sigh. The pure white towel covered his eyes as his head faced the ceiling. His hair was damp and became spiky from the water that dripped down his neck. His whole team had freshened themselves up and were relaxing after a nice hot bath.

Lance had offered them a one night stay in one of the most expensive suites in the city, and their rooms were adjacent to one another. They took this chance to enjoy the luxury, and had their two days of dirty clothing washed and dried.

Just in one day, so many things have happened. The Major Arcana. The war. The Gym Battles that would be arranged in Elite Four style.

For the Gym Battles, it was decided that all of them would use three pokemon respectively, in consideration of Red's small team.

Tomorrow would be one tough day. The days after too.

The teenager removed his sleeveless gloves and stared at the null sign imprinted on the back of his palm.

 _Null._

 _Zero._

Just what are the Major Arcana?

He had no idea. He need to talk to someone, anyone.

Celebi had mentioned that to find the others, he just had to identify them via a tattoo of their respective numbers.

Suddenly, the number "V" flashed across his mind, and he remembered a certain having the particular tattoo. On the nape.

 _Lyra._

"..."

Red plucked off the towel off his face and breathed in exasperation. He was not really familiar with her, and thus his options were narrowed down to Green Oak.

"... The Magician..."

He dragged himself to his backpack and dug through his belongings, finally taking out his Xtransceiver. Holding the watch by the band, his finger swiped across the screen, arriving at his contact list. He then tapped onto "Green Oak" and the call symbol.

Soon, his watch emitted the standard in-call buzzing. He waited, until Green's face appeared on the screen. His head bobbed up and down, and he was probably walking.

"Yo!"

"... Hi."

"What's with that glum face? And here I thought that you missed me."

"... I don't."

"How cold of you. Well, never mind that. What's the matter?"

"... Just a question..."

"Hmm?"

"Are... you the Magician...?"

"Yes. Gramps told me about you yesterday. The Fool, right?"

"... Uh... Yeah."

"By the way, where are you right now?"

"Goldenrod... Listen..."

Red then described everything that had happened. The plates of Arceus, the six cards that would be assembled next week, the Azure Flute. And lastly, Brutus and his mysterious boss.

"That's a lot of stuff."

"... You mean.. trouble."

"Haha. Anyways, you said six of the cards would be assembled, is that right?"

"Yeah.."

"Then, we have half of them. I just met another card."

"... Lyra?"

"What? Who is that? I meant Ethan. He's the Chariot."

"... I see... Lyra is Ethan's childhood friend... She's Number V."

"Oh my Arceus, are you serious?"

"... Serious."

"Hey, that's four of us! Number V, that's the Hierophant."

"Yep.."

"Still as unenthusiastic as ever. And about this Brutus, tell me more about him."

"... Dangerous man."

"Yeah, I know that. He tried to kill you, threatened some apricorn ball smith to make the Steal Ball. Any other leads on him?"

"No.."

"Have you told anyone else?"

"No.."

"Okay, good. Keep it a secret from the League people, including Gramps. We've got enough trouble brewing about."

"... Yeah."

"You had better come back and help us fight in the war."

"..."

"You're a strong trainer, and probably the strongest in Kanto. Plus you have the legendary pokemon."

"... I released them.."

"Oh, so you released- wait what?! You released them?"

"... No I mean, I didn't, but they aren't with me... now..."

"Goddamn! How dense could you get? Releasing them?"

"I... I'll go find them."

"We'll go find them. I'm coming along."

"... Suit yourself."

"Ah. I've got to go. Good luck for tomorrow."

"... Okay, thanks."

"One last thing, call your mum."

"Bzzzz..."

The screen went static, before it transited to the contact pages. Red's eyes scanned the page where there were only five contact numbers: Green, Lyra, Professor Oak, Professor Elm and Mum.

His index fingers shifted to that one contact.

The same in-dial buzzing resounded from the Xtransceiver. Then the receiver picked up.

"... Hi Mum."


	15. Chapter 15: The Definition of Strength

**New Chapter.**

 ***I don't own pokemon."**

* * *

What makes a Pokemon strong?

Do species and types determine the strength of a Pokemon?

Humans were clueless, and unsure what makes a Pokemon truly strong. And so they came up with the system to sort them out. Scientist crafted and complicated the structure, and with meticulous work, the LE system was set in place.

Levels and Evolution.

Levels were sorted from 1 to 100, and technology had advanced to the point where EXP points can be calculated, giving trainers the convenience to check how strong the Pokemon is. Evolution was the same, where certain levels marks the checkpoint of a Pokemon's growth. For example, once a Caterpie reaches level 7, it has an almost 99% chance of evolving, and at level 10, it achieved the last checkpoint of its species' evolution stages, and thus transforms into a Butterfree.

By creating such a system, humans made things easier for themselves.

They made things easier for trainers, where any homosapiens could gauge the power of any Pokemon.

They drawn the line where lower levels were weaker, and higher levels were stronger.

They separated the strong and the weak.

* * *

".. What's wrong?"

Those were the first two words that went out of Red's mouth on the 2nd hour of the 29th of July. A cream colored creature nudged him roughly, a thin leaf tickling his nose as he struggled to sit up. The heavy weight of Bayleef refused to budge, as the Leaf Pokemon murmured a soft growl.

"Bay..."

Red's palm reached for Bayleef's head and ruffled his thin hair, and the Pokemon rubbed against the trainer's chin. Both hands clasped onto the abdomen of the Bayleef, and Red heaved him off his stomach.

"... Hey, what's the problem?" Red tried asking again. Bayleef did not answer. He then slid out of his trainer's grasp, and climbed down the bed, his silhouette running towards the outline of the curtains. Red blindly reached out for the bedside lamp switch, his fingers touching random objects as he tried to find the electricity source. A soft click was heard and dim light misted the room.

Red gazed at the small dinosaur-like figure hiding behind the curtains, the Pokemon curling itself up into a ball. Red rubbed the sleep away of his eyes and kicked away the thick blankets, his feet cold and numb from the air-conditioner. Glancing at his surroundings, the other three pokemon were still cuddled together, sleeping. Thick blankets draped over them, and the flame on Charizard's tail flickered, weak and harmless as the fire-type Pokemon snored.

The trainer walked across the carpeted ground and headed towards Bayleef. He reached out his right hand, and Bayleef seemed to shudder as his fingers got closer. Gulping, the trainer touched Bayleef softly, and then caressed the Pokemon's back. Bayleef arched his neck behind, and stared at the boy's red eyes.

"... Tell me. What's wrong?... Stomach pain?"

Another shake of the head.

"Are.. you hurt?"

Not.

"Sleep-deprived?"

Nope.

"Did the three of them... do anything to you?"

Vigorous shaking of the head.

"... Then what?"

Red was tempted to wake Espeon up and request her to use telepathy to understand what Bayleef needed. Instead of him squatting here, while doing random guesses that seemed to miss the target. But it was late in the night, and he did not want to irritate the psychic type, who needed her sleep like any other living being.

He tickled Bayleef's neck, who was not amused when his eyes drooped a little in response. The pokemon then cocked his head out of the window, and Red looked out. The city's night life was still very much alive, and probably even much so as compared to the day. Iridescent lights shimmered throughout, streetlamps burning brightly, and the neon signboards of the Department Store flashed noisily. Bayleef's leaf then seemed to quiver for a little, before the tip pointed out in a direction, towards somewhere. Red squinted his eyes to fight against the glaring brilliance of the metropolis, and noticed what Bayleef was pointing at.

A building with a spotted roof that seemed to glow pink in the dark.

The Goldenrod City Gym.

The trainer finally understood.

His hand touched Bayleef's head, before he bent over and hugged the pokemon. Tight.

"... I'm sorry.." he whispered, his face lined with guilt. "... You're still not strong enough."

"Bay..."

"... You wanted to fight alongside us.."

"Bayleef.."

"... I'm so sorry."

The pokemon sniffled slightly in response.

"... Can you forgive me?"

Bayleef looked up, where his red eyes met his trainer's ones. The leaf on his leaf wavered, and the pokemon nodded slowly in reply. Then he stood up on all fours, and trudged off, rejoining the threesome, burying himself into the blankets .

Red needed time to train the grass-type starter. But he don't have time. Time.

This was the reality he had to accept. For now.

* * *

"Blimey!"

At the west streets of Goldenrod, men and women of all ages crowded around the bulletin boards, all craning their necks to get a good look at the information that was put up early this morning.

"Please take one! Take one!"

At the east streets, a number of flyer distributors were stationed everywhere, handing out pieces of paper to the street-goers. People reluctantly took it, and most of their faces instantly went stunned, their pacing slowed down.

"...bzz... Good morning, citizens of Kanto and Johto! Now is the time slot for morning news, and Mary here, has some breaking news to report..."

At the south streets, everyone was either tuning into the Goldenrod Radio Station, earphones stuffed into their ears, or watching the screens of their communicative devices of different brands: Silph Co.'s Pokegear, Devon's PokeNav, Poketch, Xtransceivers, et cetera.

"This morning, the League has informed..."

At the north end, neighbours were popping into each other's door, spreading the news they have all heard from their televisions.

Even in the dirty alleyways where a musty smell permeated the air, scrawny kids were shouting at one another excitedly, thoughts on stealing breakfast from the food stalls temporarily off their minds.

Violet, Azalea, Ecruteak, Olivine, Mahogany, Blackthorn, all throughout Johto.

Viridian, Pewter, Cerulean, Vermillion, Celadon, Fuchsia, Saffron, Cinnabar, all throughout Kanto.

One message burned throughout the two regions.

"The fire of war was ignited."

* * *

"It's pretty rowdy for a weekday morning." Lance commented as he walked down the streets, with a solemn Red and Pikachu beside him. The two humans had eaten, their stomachs satisfied from the scrambled eggs and bread, while the mouse was burping in delight after cramming himself with a tasty bowl of poke-cereal. Neither Red nor Lance bothered to put on their respective disguise and veils, and instead moved through the unknowing crowd easily. Red wasn't wearing his usual red vest, and neither was Lance donning his cape and blue embroidered clothes. A casual top and pants for both men and neither could be recognized.

Just before this, Red had went to stock up on more trainer utilities and purchased a magnetic pokeball belt, since his bag was too full to hold his pokeballs. His face had only a plain and boring expression of neutrality, and it felt tough for Lance to strike a conversation with the younger trainer.

"So, Elite Four style Gym battles? How're you feeling?"

"..."

"At least get into the mood."

"..."

"What happened to all that talkativeness yesterday?"

"... Un."

"That's not human speech."

"... Don't talk to me."

For once, Lance shut up, the Dragon Master perplexed at the boy's gloominess. It was rare for Red to say such a sentence. He remembered Red to be more cheerful and down to earth in the past, like how the kid had become humorously flustered when he shook Lance's hand for the first time years ago.

Ah, yes, nervousness, nervousness. It was normal for any human being to keep quiet when they are nervous.

Throughout their walk, zero conversation between the two. Following after, they reached the Gym, and Lance waved a goodbye to the silent teen, before he entered the building via the backdoor. Red, on the other hand, headed for the front entrance. The doors hanged the sign "closed" but the trainer knew otherwise. He entered.

Stationed next to a pokemon statue was Mitch the Gym Guide, who stiffened when he saw Red.

The Goldenrod City Gym Guide was nervous, since this was the first time the Gym had ever witnessed battles arranged in Elite Four style. He was nervous, since this was the first time the Gym ever had four Gym Leaders gathered together. He was nervous, since this was the first time the Gym ever had an ex-Champion walking on its grounds.

He was nervous, since this was the first time the Gym ever had an ex-Champion to be the challenger.

It was almost comedic to see someone else so nervous other than yourself, and somehow it gave a healing effect on Red, who felt less paranoid than he thought.

He brought everything. Bottles of Hyper Potion, Revives, Antidotes, Paralyze Heal, Ice Heal, et cetera. He could probably set up a Poke Mart with all the products stuffed in his bag. Hopefully, the bag would not burst.

He checked for his pokeballs, and faltered for a moment when his hand brushed past Bayleef's. The trainer then swallowed saliva as he plucked the capsule off the magnetic belt and shove it into the bag. Pikachu let out a small squeak while Red forcefully zipped up his bag, the trainer having a pained expression on his face.

"Pika-chu?"

".. I'm fine."

"Are you ready?" Mitch asked, as he wiped off his perspiration with his hanky.

".. Ready."

And in he went. Spotlights that were as bright as the daylight shone onto him, and the arena was spotlessly clean, no soft toys, no staircases and make-shift maze, just one large platform that was smooth and sparkling. The pink wallpapers remained.

Even so, the whole atmosphere was reminiscent of the days back when he challenged the Elite Four.

At the other end of the platform, stood Whitney, who was warming up by doing stretching exercises. The moment she made eye contact with Red, she grinned and straightened herself up. She took out a pokeball, and Red quickly unattached one of the pokeballs off his belt.

"I assure you, this is not gonna be an easy battle." Whitney declared as she placed her hands on her waist, seemingly trying to appear intimidating. It would be wrongful for Red to say he did not know Whitney, who was famous throughout the regions for being one of the toughest pokemon trainers within the league despite being in the business for only half a decade at most. In the past, before Johto was joined to Kanto, all trainers had to go through her at some point during their journey of badge collecting, and most left her for the last few Gyms. She was what pokemon trainers would call: a thorn.

So prickly and painful she was. Her Miltank was notorious; the cow would bulldoze through any challengers who ever try to oppose the Goldenrod City Gym, and there were accounts by junior trainers that claim that being able to last three turns against her is a miracle.

Scanning her outer appearance, Whitney looked unlike her tenacity in battling. Admittedly, her features could put her among beautiful women and she leaned towards the "moe" concept the Japanese loved so much. More impressively, she was a softball player of the Johto regional team. Red glanced at her biceps; the muscles certainly looked more solid than the average woman.

Cute and athletic. A genius. It was almost destined and natural for her to be the Gym Leader.

"Whoever have all three of their pokemon knocked out first is the loser!"

"... Okay."

Whitney's fingers brushed through her right pigtail, and her tongue moistened her lips. The Gym Leader was nervous. Meanwhile, Mitch tip-toed forward. His forehead was glistening with more sweat than before. With a whistle hanging around his neck, he stuck his right hand out, his poor fingers trembling with trepidation. For the first time in Mitch's life, he was doing the official battle start-off signal. The signal was reserved for important battles, not including Gym battles. They were usually used in Elite Four and Champion battles and during the Pokemon Region Championships. It was used everywhere in the world, but not everyone can use it.

Mitch fumbled for the whistle, and shoved the mouthpiece into his mouth. He sucked in air, his nose detecting a distinct smell of disinfectant. Puffing his cheeks out like a Qwilfish, his face went pink. All trace of moisture on his lips evaporated, and with a force of a billion men, he blew the whistle.

For the first time in Mitch's life, he felt the sheer thrill of pokemon battles. The two pokeballs thrown in a perfect arc over towards the center of the platform, and somehow, the opposing trainers with their respective pride and values put on the line.

The small metallic gears within the pokeball turned, working with absolute synchronization, and the DNA data of the pokemon resident was generated, coming off in the form of a white glob of energy. The covers opened, the energy spiking in all directions and was finally concentrated into one point, transforming into a straight ray of light. Before the white ray could hit the ground, it morphed into the organic shapes of the pokemon, and with two sparks of light, two creatures landed on the platform.

Magnificence and terror roared through the Gym and for the first time in his life, Mitch laid eyes on such a Charizard full of power and superiority. The orange coloured pokemon's species was uncommon within Johto and he had only seen a scarce number of them. It's pre-evolution, Charmander is one of the Kanto starters, but they are not an exactly popular choice since taming and training them was of utmost difficulty. Most starters were fairly trained before they are given to a trainer, but not Charmander. The fire reptiles were fiery, and if you were lucky, you'll get one that is more docile than the others. And when they evolve into the stronger Charizard, the word "gentle" disappears from the species' dictionary.

Most Charizards Mitch ever had the fortune to see, were jumpy, some disobedient, some too tough for trainers to handle during matches with Whitney. It was the violent nature of Charizards; if untamed and feral, they are aggressive. And if a feral Charizard is angered, destruction erupts in its wake

But not this Charizard. It was a being larger than life, its dignity was dazzling, controlled and calm, and it certainly looked very very eager to battle.

It was the first time Mitch ever saw such a tamed Charizard.

Glancing at the status screen, the Gym Guide was made known of the Charizard's gender. On the other hand, Whitney's current pokemon was an intimidating female, towering at 6.4 feet tall, brown fur covering the outer skin, with the exception of her muzzle, inner ears and paw pads, as well as a giant ring on the belly that had no fur, the yellowish tone of her dermis apparent. The fur on her shoulders were long, much longer than most of her species, and resembled epaulettes. Her round and bushy tail bobbed as she shuffled about slightly. She sniffed multiple times, then let out a loud growl, and shot a glare at Charizard, her sharp and long claws threatening.

Red was familiar with this pokemon's species. He had encountered them uncountable times when he was transversing the treacherous Mt Silver, and frankly, he did not want to deal with them anymore. Humongous strength that could lift the frosted boulders on the mountain with little effort, jaw strength that could crush rocks, and the fact that it was highly territorial made things all the worse. Getting past the grizzly bear was a pain, since Ursarings were unbearably sturdy.

Red had never fought against a trained Ursaring before, and although he won against many wild Ursarings in the past, underestimating his opponent would not be a wise choice.

A resounding bang cut short his train of thought, and Red looked forward, witnessing Charizard barely dodging an attack by Whitney's Ursaring. Charizard propelled himself upwards, and growled at the foe. Then after, he let out a cry directed at his trainer, in an attempt to bring Red's focus back on the battle.

"Grisha! Again!" Yelled Whitney. Grisha the Ursaring stomped forward, launching herself higher into the air, and within seconds, she elevated herself higher than the flying opponent. Charizard weaved out of the way, his tail thrashing about, the fire on it increasing in intensity as adrenaline jolted down his spine. Suddenly, gigantic paws clasped on his thigh, and his whole body was dragged along with Grisha, the two creatures crash landing in a cloud of dust.

"Hammer Arm!"

"Fire Fang."

"Ursaaaa!" Cried Grisha, as his claws aimed towards the exposed belly of Charizard. Full impact was dealt onto him and the fire type hollered, before he pushed his whole body upward, mouth leaking out potent fire. Grisha tried to remove her arm away, but could not budge. Charizard's claws clung onto her stocky forearm, and she violently pushed the opponent back to the ground with her left hind leg, and she Thrashed about, her claws scratching Charizard's hard scales. She backed away and tried to collect herself, until Charizard neared onto her in a flash, his jaws clamping down onto her right shoulder tenaciously. The fire within his mouth shot out, setting fire to the thick and long fur of the Ursaring. Blood spurted out, and Charizard held on, having no intention to let go as his mouth shot out more flames. The heat burned the wound, aggravating the pain. Grisha roared in a fit of fury and punched yet another Hammer Arm towards the side Charizard's ribs. Charizard's blue eyes widened as he felt a crack or two in his ribs. The force made him hurtled sideways, all the way to the wall of the gym.

The damaged wall quickly self-repaired, but not Charizard, who stood up wobbily. A large bruise was forming at where he was struck, and the fracture throbbed.

"ThunderPunch!" Commanded Whitney, the girl smiling broadly. Grisha was besting a Champion team pokemon. Maybe she was counting her chicks before the hatch, but the feeling of being superior to a Champion, even for a fleeting moment, felt good. Grisha clomped towards her opponent, while Red said,

"Evade."

The Ursaring then barreled forward, left paw crackling with a ball of electricity. A war cry and she swung her fist down, a trail of lightning zapping behind the attack.

The punch rammed into the wall as Charizard slid out of the way in the nick of time. The concrete snapped and cracked as the electricity ran through the material, the impact sizzling the spot black.

"Char... Fire Fang.."

"Grisha, Slash!"

Fatal fangs and claws were exchanged between the two pokemon, Grisha thrusting into and cutting the scales of Charizard, while the fire type did the same, before sinking his canines into the thick blubber of the bear. The howls and roars of the creatures shook the windows, and then Red commanded.

"Fly up..."

Charizard did as told, and distanced himself away from the Ursaring.

".. Flamethrower."

The draconic pokemon's belly swelled and his scales glowed, clearly marking the incoming release of a deadly attack of fire. Whitney then directed her right arm towards the Charizard and said, "Jump!"

Grisha did the same monstrous leap from before, and reached her claws out towards Charizard, wanting to do the same tactic of bringing the flying opponent back to the ground.

All she grabbed was air.

The next second, the Ursaring's fur stood up on ends, sweat wetting her snout as a powerful aura loomed up upon her. She had no time to react, and a sharp Wing Attack was dealt on her back, knocking the wind out of her. The bear gasped and roared, and swerved her whole body to face the opponent.

And by now, Charizard was already spitting fire. In her face.

The heat bubbled around her, and the Ursaring yowled and her cries died down in a short moment. Her opponent was on the ground, standing, while she, was lying defeated on it. The bear could not move a muscle with all the burns and flaming fur slapping on her body like a wake up call: she cannot win.

"3!" Mitch shouted, initiating the countdown.

"Grisha!" called out Whitney.

"2!"

The Ursaring had no sign of moving.

"1!"

Grisha closed her eyes in defeat and resignation.

"0!"

"U-Ursaring is unable to battle! It's C-Charizard's v-victory!" Mitch stammered in a loud and shaky voice. It was over. The battle lasted for minutes, but to him, it felt like hours.

How intense.

Meanwhile, Whitney rushed to Grisha's side, and after muttering encouragements and soothing words, she returned the giant bear into her pokeball. After she walked back to her spot, a great ball magically appeared in her hands. The girl's face was tinted pink and she breathed heavily in excitement.

"Nika, you're up next!"

A Clefable appeared, chirping wildly, and started running towards Charizard. Meanwhile, her trainer yelled, "Cosmic Power!"

Stars sparkled around the pink pokemon, and Nika continued its dash towards Charizard, who unleashed Flamethrowers in succession. Even with the status enhancing move, the Clefable did not stand a chance at all. The countdown started.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"0!"

And the battle was wrapped in less than a minute.

"Clefable is unable to battle! I-It's Charizard's v-victory! A-again!" Mitch announced, his hands trembling.

"Heh. This was expected." Whitney said. "He is not called the Undefeated Champion for nothing."

Mitch gulped and looked back and forth from Red and Whitney.

"But!" Whitney shouted.

"But?"

"I'm not called a Gym Leader for nothing!" She yelled. "The next one is my ace! Go, Lei!"

A pink cow emerged, and landed on its hind legs, which was queer, since the normal cows that roamed the farms were on all fours. The cow-like pokemon ambled clumsily forward, and then tripped over its own legs. It then dazedly stood up, the pink teats on its udder wobbling. It mooed for a bit and its floppy black ears shook up and down.

"Mil-mil!"

"..." Red went quiet.

"..." Pikachu did the same.

"..." Charizard's expression stoned.

...

Silence enveloped the place and awkwardness took over.

This clumsy and cute cow is _that_ Miltank? That Miltank that massacred countless trainers? Where did that oppressing and satanic impression of the monster went?

"Mil-mil?" mooed Lei innocently. The Milk Cow Pokemon tilted her head to one side, a question mark forming in her head.

"Lei." Whitney called out.

"Mil?"

"Full?"

"Mil!"

"Good! Then let us start. Rollout!"

Lei mooed cheerily, curled herself up, and transformed into a deadly bowling ball.

And bloody hell, was that Miltank speedy. Lei whizzed off, her after-image disappearing at the same time she disappeared. Then the ball of pink and black was suddenly next to Charizard, boasting her unnatural and almost impossible speed unlike her plump size. Fats, milks and udders and all.

With no time for him to react, Charizard was hit squarely in the chest, the rotation of the attack move jumbling up his bones. It was no fracture anymore, but a breakage in the ribs. Adding that it was a rock type move, the coat of fire he conjured up to diminish the damage did little against the stubborn rolling cow. Lei persisted, rotating her whole body further. Charizard retaliated, his claws trying to halt the cow's movement, but his attempts were deflected like it was nothing, and the fire type howled in pain.

Commands ran through his mind, as Red thought of the possible counters he could think of, and it was not long before both of Charizard's fists glowed white, and landed a Rock Smash onto the Miltank.

Damage was certainly done, but there was no sign of Whitney's Miltank stopping the Rollout. Instead, the pain from the fighting move seemed to encourage the cow to increase the intensity of the attack.

The two pokemon refused to give in, as Lei continued her Rollout, while Charizard continued to punch Rock Smash against the cow. The tenacity of the cow was not losing out to the mighty fire type species.

And with one final push, Lei won against the strength of the Flame Pokemon. His scales were chipped by the sheer power of the rock type move, and when he was hit on the chin by his spinning opponent, Charizard felt his vision blurred from the sudden impact. The next moment, the Miltank ran him over.

Whitney cheered and bounced on one spot, the Gym Leader energized by the fact that Lei had overcome the ex-Champion's Charizard. She then glanced at the status screen, noting that Charizard's HP was in the yellow, while Lei's was almost reaching the red zone.

"Milk Drink!"

"Mil!" Lei cried in acknowledgement, before she curled her body up and sucked her own teats.

Red's face went pale, and his eyes widened in shock when the HP bar shot back to the green zone. He did not expect that. His mind went blank.

What can he do? The enemy was a Bulldozer, a Bulldozer that can damage Charizard this badly. Meanwhile, his pokemon painfully stood up.

He could quickly spray the Hyper Potion onto him, but Charizard's broken left rib was tough to heal. And after this battle, it was certain that the injury will be a hassle for the remaining matches.

Can he win?

Red gasped and gritted his teeth. Had he really gotten weak? To even have the urge to think of such a question.

Suddenly, Charizard roared, breaking Red out of his thoughts. He stomped heavily onto the platform, his legs no longer wobbling.

Red smiled and chuckled.

 _... If I were to give up before you, then..._

"... Fire Blast!"

"Char!"

 _... I have no right to call myself your trainer..._

Charizard then blast an intense fire attack that morphed into the shape of the Japanese kanji "大" towards Miltank, who received the attack head on.

The cow should have fell with this overwhelming powerful move, but she stood.

"Milk Drink!"

Back to the green zone.

"Flamethrower..." ordered Red. He could feel his sweat going cold when the next fire attack proved insignificant to the satanic Bulldozer. And Whitney had quite the skill to quickly administer a Hyper Potion to the cow.

Back to the green zone.

"Flamethrower...!"

Back to the green zone. Again.

Attack after attack.

Attack after attack.

And yet the Miltank's HP had no sign of reaching the red.

"I bet you're wondering how can Lei be able to withstand your fire attacks so well."

"... Yeah."

"Heh. She has the Thick Fat ability. So all the damage by your fire moves are all halved."

That goddamn cow.

Whitney's Miltank was fat alright. Thick Fat, mind you. And adding that it had strength, speed and defense on par or even better than Charizard made her hard to defeat. Worse, she had that Milk Drink move.

She truly does live up to the name of Bulldozer.

They had to close in the distance, but if they were to do so, there was a higher chance that the cow would use Rollout on Charizard.

Should they take the risk?

But battling was all about risk, and Charizard was aware of that. Plus, his pokemon was higher leveled.

"... Fire Fang!"

With a roar, Charizard ran forward with strong, heavy steps, as his mouth was instantly filled with fire. He ignored the piercing pain on his chest. He ignored the bruise. He ignored all the stings he felt all over his body. The only thing he won't ever ignore was Red's commands.

He neared onto the cow with insane speed, who deftly moved sideways, but Charizard wasted no time to swerve his head in the direction of Lei, and clamped his canines onto the thighs of the cow. The fire exploded and the cow shrieked. With a hefty pull, she escaped from her opponent's jaws with a bad burn and a deep slash across her thigh, the blood dripping down profusely.

"Lei!" Called out Whitney worriedly.

There was absolutely no time for the Miltank to respond to her trainer, when she felt the heat reaching her. The Miltank scrambled off. Charizard chased after Lei, right behind her tail, his breath angry and his fight seemingly unstoppable. The tables were going to turn in Red's favour.

"Rollout backwards!" Yelled Whitney.

Red clicked his tongue, irritated that the Gym Leader had the brains to think of such a method. He yelled for Charizard to stop his chase and his pokemon wasted no time to pivot himself the other way. He ran, and Lei spun vigorously, the cow rolling towards Charizard.

"... Up! And.. use Wing Attack!" Cried out an agitated Red.

The fire type flapped his wings, zoomed into the air, the wind swishing by violently. Charizard flew full circle, his scales glowing white, wings sharpening into two great knives. Lei was still rolling, and Charizard was sure that the attack will finish-

"Hammer Arm!"

With the blink of the eye, Lei was standing upright, both arms bursting of power.

"Two Hammer Arms at once?" exclaimed Mitch.

"Nope, it's six." Corrected Whitney

"... Char-!"

The two fist was thrusted diagonally upwards, pummelling into the abdomen of the fire type, who had no chance to avoid. Miltank did a barrel of Hammer Arms, and very soon Charizard was sent flying smack into the walls of the Goldenrod City Gym.

Everyone held their breaths, when the limp body of Charizard slammed onto the ground, rubble surrounding the pokemon as he laid there, still. The air went heavy when everyone witnessed the seemingly defeat of the mighty Charizard.

"Charizard!" Red yelled, his heart sinking, so much pain filling his chest when he saw his friend collapsed on the ground like a rag doll. He clenched his fists, and screamed in his mind.

 _This was not right! They trained! They were higher leveled!_

"..."

 _Charizard can't have lost!_

"Higher levels don't mean your pokemon is necessarily stronger." interrupted a smooth voice. Almost as if this person had overheard his internal refusals.

"Baka Matsuba! Where did you come from!?" Shouted Whitney, flabbergasted.

"From the door."

"When!?"

"Ever since the battle between your Ursaring and his Charizard."

"Huhhhh!? Are you a ghost?" The Goldenrod City Gym Leader then shuffled further away from Morty, wary and shocked.

"Maybe. Anyways, Gym Guide, do the honors."

Mitch's lips trembled, and he stuttered, starting the countdown. Red clenched his fists tighter, his lips trembling for a whole different reason.

"3!

He made Charizard lost. Even though he was of higher level.

No. That Morty guy was right. Levels don't determine a pokemon's strength 100%.

Green's words resounded in his mind.

 _"Conquer the Johto region in 1 month!"_

Conquer? The very word itself was laughable.

His previous team of six was the product of vigorous training and his so-called training skills. But look, even with high-levels, how can they conquer?

What about Bayleef?

He left him behind.

That was the worst thing he could do as a trainer. No, he would not even be a trainer anymore. Just scum. Trash that belongs to the worst of the worst human beings.

He would just be condemning a pokemon for being weak just by being low-leveled.

"... What have I done..." He whispered, a single tear dropping down on the platform solemnly.

"2!"

The trainer felt more guilty than ever, and vulnerable, since tasting defeat was after all, not something to be proud of.

Unknowingly, he became proud, thinking he would never lose.

* * *

Pallet Town. The Year XXXX.

"Hmm.. A Charmander, huh?" Professor Oak scratched his stubble, and glanced at the young boy, who nodded his head.

"They're tough to train you know? They may be Kanto's three main starters, you could choose other pokemon, like how Green chose his Eevee, although it really cost a bunch."

"I want a Charmander." The boy said firmly.

"You could choose the other main starters, Bulbasaur and Squirtle. I even have a tamed Pikachu or Poliwag for you to choose."

"I... can catch a Pikachu in Viridian... A Charmander, please."

"I can't change your mind, can I?"

The boy's red eyes bore into him.

"Fine, fine."

The pokeball weighed onto his hand, and all the bottled up excitement burst out. The boy thanked the professor, before he asked,

"Professor Oak... what pokemon do I have to catch... to trade for a Bulbasaur and Squirtle?"

"You're really persistent on getting all three main starters, aren't you? Well, I'll give them to you if you can get me five Moonstones."

The boy started thinking.

".. Okay." He finally said.

"Haha, I'll be waiting then."

The boy walked briskly back home, and upon opening the front door, he found his mother's figure sitting on the couch, reading a small pamphlet.

"Ah, Red."

"Mum... I got a Charmander!"

"Oh? I though you wanted a Squirtle?"

The boy shook his head, before he pressed the button on the pokeball, releasing a small bipedal reptile that glared at the boy the moment he was out. It then sniffed at his new trainer, before crossing its arms, the Charmander disapproving that he was getting a trainer.

"A feisty little one I see. Any reason why you changed your mind?"

"Why...? Because my name is Red.. Fire is befitting."

The boy then squatted down, face to face with the surprised Charmander.

"The name's Red."

The Charmander gulped.

"I want to be a Champion... So I'll need your help."

The Charmander listened.

"Let's win."

The fire type stared at its trainer's red eyes, and suddenly, the boy extended his pinky out.

"Promise?"

* * *

"1!"

Red stared at the orange body of his friend through watery eyes.

Even at the last second, the trainer remained hopeful.

* * *

The Charmander grasped his trainer's little finger, a little too tightly. His trainer smiled.

"I'm gonna give you a nickname."

The Charmander widened his eyes.

Even though he was still somewhat skeptical of this child's ability, a name was still enticing. Then the Charmander let out an excited cry,

"Char!"

"This name, is our little secret... so when I need help, I'll call you-"

* * *

Another drop of tear dripped onto the platform.

"... I'm sorry."

Mitch's mouth opened to say the "zero."

"... Aki."

The spot where Charizard laid blazed. And the scales of the fire type slowly tinted black, the orange fire on his tail changing to a electric blue colour.

Aki.

The Charizard's eyes snapped open, deep blood red irises flaming, as if autumn leaves were scorching the air.

* * *

 **The name "Aki"**

 **A Japanese name that means "autumn".**

 **紅葉は焼きます**

そして、踊り

 **The autumn leaves burn.**

 **And dance.**


	16. Chapter 16: Of Dust and Ashes

Of Dust and Ashes

The Goldenrod City Gym hushed as a loud stomp interrupted the countdown. Mitch yelped in surprise and he almost felt his hair standing on ends. He stared at the far away Charizard, wordless and doubtful, wondering if the match was still going on.

Within seconds, the Gym Guide gasped in wonder, his cheeks reddening with excitement as he witnessed what he saw. The Charizard that was supposedly defeated, was now strangely brimming with fight, the color of its scales swaying from between black and orange, the tips lit with fire that morphed into a blue hue. The Pokemon was now on both feet, those pair of eyes no longer a rich blue.

Charizard's irises were a deep shocking red. Red like his own trainer's.

"What is that?" Whitney shouted, the Gym Leader befuddled and slightly disappointed at the scene unfolding before her. It just took one more second, and she could have won against such a strong Charizard. But no, it just had to stand up again.

"Interesting." Morty chuckled as he calmly observed the creature. He shifted his attention to Red, who looked equally confused as Whitney. Red stoned there for a couple of seconds. His emotions were jumbled between uncertainty, excitement and guilt.

Charizard stood there, wheezing, grunting, swaying uneasily. The color of his scales flickered black, then orange, black and back to orange. Red blinked. Something was wrong with his pokemon.

"Charizard!" He shouted worriedly. "Stop! You've done enough!"

The color of the scales turned black again.

 _No._

This voice in his head.

This familiar voice.

Charizard.

Red's eyes widened.

Charizard was communicating to him via telepathy.

Without Espeon.

All of a sudden, the surrounding temperature rose, hot air shooting out from Charizard. The fire type grunted, and he gritted his teeth, blue fire leaking out from the sides of his mouth. Whitney stiffened, and Lei remained alert. The draconic pokemon breathed heavily.

"Please, stop!" Red shouted.

 _Never._

Charizard's voice buzzed in his mind.

Red clenched his fists as he stared ahead with a pained expression on his face.

Blue flames emerged, and it swirled into a ring. Moments passed as the fire continued to crackle loudly, the tension eating at everyone. Lei held her breath, her gaze transfixed onto the electric blue flames.

Charizard shot the flames forward.

The fire trailed towards the cow listlessly and Lei awkwardly move out of the way. The ring of fire dwindled away, and all of a sudden, flickered twice and disappeared.

This was feeling more and more ridiculous by the second, and the pokemon almost pitied her opponent. He managed to stand up at the last second, and what he got? A measly attack that did absolutely nothing.

Charizard had long surpassed his limits and he leaned against the walls with a loud thud, his chest pounding with pain, every breath feeling like knives stabbing at him. His vision blurred and he struggled to look ahead, hoping that his attack had earned him and his trainer a victory.

 _Did it reach? Did we win?_

Charizard's voice resounded in Red's mind.

Red gulped in air, and tried to compose himself.

 _Yes.. yes, we won. You did great, Aki_.

He replied with a lie.

Charizard smiled. His scales revert back to bright orange and his eyes went back to a soft blue color.

Then he fell, defeated.

"Mitch." Morty whispered. "The countdown."

The Gym Guide nodded.

"3."

"2."

"1."

"0."

"Charizard is unable to battle! It's Miltank's victory!"

A single red flash of light returned back to Charizard's pokeball, and the youth stared at the surface of the red-white capsule solemnly. He tightened his grip, before he gently placed the pokeball back onto his magnetic belt.

* * *

The two hooded figures were sitting comfortably atop a Lapras, the pokemon sailing towards a small cave entrance embedded in red rock walls. Upon reaching the small patch of dry and gritty land, both alighted from the Transport Pokemon. One wore a white cloak clasped together with a gold pin, while the other donned a seemingly more ragged cloth that had a few tears at the hem. The white one walked forward, and the other took out a pokeball from under the draping cloth.

"Good work, buddy."

The Lapras let out a joyful cry, before she returned to her pokeball.

Okay, the one wearing the ragged cloak is me. Ethan.

I roughly pulled the hood down, and sneezed a little, before I ambled forth, towards the other trainer. Yes, the one wearing the white cloak. That's Green Oak.

"Oh, come on, hurry up." He murmured with an annoyed look. "I came here just because you told me that there might be another one of us in this place."

"It's just a hunch, okay? I haven't contact him in months, so he might not be in there anymore. He might have switched training locations" I responded with a shrug.

"Are you serious? I had to wake up at six in the morning, spend 2 hours to get here, waited for 45 minutes to get permission from Clair, and now you tell me he might not be in there." He grumbled, evidently displeased. "Mister Champion, I'm a Gym Leader for Arceus' sake! At least take some responsibility for dragging me out here due to a reason based on a hunch!"

"Maybe this is payback for yesterday's clown wig." I joked. "Okay then, are we going into the Dragon's Den or not?"

"Hmph." Green snorted, and he made some hand gestures that translated into something like this: if I find no one inside, I'm gonna kill you.

Soon he disappeared into the den.

I followed.

Inside the Den, the whole area was enclosed, and pretty much devoid of light. Both of us took out our torchlights, shining the light left and right. Dragon's Den looked pretty much the same from when I last came here, tranquil and otherworldly, with an aquamarine lake surrounding the Dragon Shrine. Green nudged me, and I noticed that our univited sources of light had scared off a couple of Dratinis that were swimming away. I switched off my torchlight, while Green dropped his torchlight's light intensity by a notch, providing us sufficient brightness to tread across the bridge, which was repaired by the locals not long ago.

We ended up at the doors of the Dragon Shrine. Naturally, Clair had forbid us to go inside, since it was the holy house of the god that was worshipped by the people residing in Blackthorn. The two of us walked around the perimeter of the stout building, occasionally avoiding some holes in the wooden floorboards caused by poor maintenance, while searching for the person of interest.

"Silver! Silver! Are you there? If yes, please respond!" I shouted, and whatever I spoke echoed back to me. I waited with bated breath, but heard no reply as a deaf silence shunned me away.

"Silver! It's me, Ethan!" I tried again.

"If you don't come out, your poor friend over here is going to suffer my wrath for bringing me here for nothing." Green added on, causing me to shudder a little. His words was not even close to joking, and I started thinking of the best possible escape plan if Silver was honestly not to be found here.

It was then until I felt an all too familiar presence from my left. I turned in that direction, and found a pair of mercury silver eyes gazing upon me. I snatched the torchlight from Green and shone the light at the silhoette.

"Don't shine it at me, you blockhead."

He was leaning against the wet walls of the den, and was a couple of meters away from us, and beside him stood his ferocious-looking Feraligatr that was in this stance that appeared as if it was ready to pounce on me if it had the chance. A Weavile suddenly popped out from behind Silver's back, and I recognized it instantly. His Sneasel had evolved.

"I see you came here to disturb me, Champion of Johto." Silver spat in disdain. "And who's that flamboyant guy with that spiky hair next to you?"

"Excuse me?" Green whispered loudly. "This is called Au Naturel, get it right."

"You put hair gel on it." I uttered dully.

"Shut it, you." Green barked. "Anyways, the name's Green Oak, Gym Leader of Viridian City-"

"Grandson of Professor Oak." Silver interrupted, his eyes boring at Green. "If you two muddleheads have no business with me, leave."

"Wait! Silver, we need you to come back with us!" I frantically called out. "Kanto and Johto are in big trouble!"

I repeated whatever the man behind the monitor had spoke about Deoxys and the War that was approaching our doorsteps, and all the while I was speaking, the red-haired trainer tapped his left foot impatiently, his unfriendly and passive body language indicating his disinterest in my talk.

And as expected, his first words aimed at me after I ended my last sentence were, "What's that got to do with me?"

"You're strong, that's what." I replied.

"All of the trainers have to cooperate to save these two regions." Green pointed out. "This brat told me you're good, so you could say we came here to scout you."

Silver laughed coldly and stared down at me from his position. "Typical hypocrites."

He turned his back onto me, and hissed, "You guys can go ahead and be heroes if you want. Scram."

He walked a few step away, and wanting to salvage the situation, I blurted out.

"What about Lyra? She's still waiting for you."

Silver halted his footsteps, and I noticed him clenching his hands. An ensuing silence went on between the two of us, and Green was now looking rather irked. Clearly, the Gym Leader did not like dramatic scenes that wasted his time.

I heard Silver breathing deeply, and then he spoke emotionlessly.

"She can wait all she want, I'm not going back."

"But she-" I protested.

"Likes me? I'm a criminal's son, Champion! I deserve nothing from her!" He yelled as he spun his head around and glared at me hatefully. Green suddenly cleared his throat loudly, commanding both of our attention.

"Kids, no drama please. I have enough going on in my head, and it would be nice if I do not witness angsty things going on between the two of you." Green articulated. "I'm a busy person, Sakaki Gin."

"Don't speak that horrible name!" Silver growled.

"Okay, okay, Silver, right? What's your purpose for training in such a place?"

"To be stronger." Silver grunted. Green blinked his eyes in surprise and chuckled.

"You sound exactly like someone I know. Well, but that person changed, I guess." He smiled. "And honestly, how much stronger can you get in this Den? The wild pokemon here are weak as hell, and neither is the surroundings harsh enough to train you. If I were you, Mt. Silver would be the best choice."

"That place is impossible. No one survived up there for more than a month." Silver retorted. "And what are you getting at? That my training is futile? Why don't you say that after you won against me, Green Oak?"

"Relax. I had no bad intention. None, at all. But let me point out something. That friend of mine that I had mentioned had in fact survived in that mountain for three years."

I sighed. I knew exactly who Green was referring to.

"Who?" Slurred Silver, with a skeptical expression.

Green smirked.

"Red."

That expression on Silver's face was priceless. Absolutely amusing.

"He's there all along? That means.." Silver murmured. "I can battle him?"

"Um, Red's not in Mt. Silver anymore. But I can help you call him if you want?" I asked reproachfully.

"Call him? I've got to meet him personally... and thank him, and... and challenge him in an official stage."

 _He's as obsessed with Red as ever._ I thought and gave a forced smile. Green leaned towards me and whispered into my ear, "Why is he so interested in Red?"

"He treats that guy as his benefactor, for destroying his father's plans apparently." I answered back in a low voice.

"Ah.." Green uttered as a glint flashed across his hazelnut eyes. I instinctively knew that he had an idea. And usually his ideas were frightening, so I tried hard not to think about what was hidden inside that genius brain of his.

"What are you two muttering over there? Annoying pricks." Silver shouted in displeasure.

"Oh, nothing. I-We were just discussing how Red would be fighting in the war, and what a great chance it will be to meet him in person!" Green replied in all smiles. I gagged a little when I heard his words.

"You... Are you lying?" Silver breathed as he shifted a few steps towards us.

"Do I look like I am?" Green asked, his fake smile looking horribly confident.

"Where's your proof?" Silver demanded as he thrust his arm out.

"Proof? Mind you, I grew up with that guy since we were five!" Green emphasized. "If you insist, I can show you my log history, since I called him just last night."

Green shoved his Xtransceiver right into Silver's face, who blinked in surprise and proceeded to check the Gym Leader's validity.

Alright, I must admit, that was a pretty sweet way to convince someone like Silver. My rival instantly had rare grin on his face, which scared me quite badly, because this guy almost never smiles. He usually had that really glum look, and any possibility of him smiling was near nothing.

"I'm coming." He declared.

"Wow, what a quick change in heart." Exclaimed the Gym Leader while he pocketed his Xtransceiver. Green then paused for a bit, before he gazed up at the red haired trainer.

"Just me being curious, but do you have a tattoo?"

I gulped in a ton of saliva.

"No. They are unnecessary, if you ask me." Silver answered. "Why?"

"It's nothing. Wait there for a bit, I need to have a word with Mr. Hibiki Ethan." Green replied with a smile. I backed away, slowly, thinking of using my spontaneous escape plan.

The spiky haired trainer spun his head around, with a devilish grin and eyes that hid a bloodlust so fearsome that I felt my whole body stiffening. He strode towards me with a threatening aura, and I dared not move.

Green placed a hand on my shoulder. And with a scary smile, he said, "Don't you dare. Run."

His fingers dug into my clothes, and I forgot to breathe immediately.

The Gym Leader forcefully pushed me forward, away from Silver. I could not even cast an SOS glance towards him, since my distress call would be abruptly ignored.

Round at the back of the Dragon Shrine, I was at my wit's end. I was so dead. So dead.

"Ethannnnnnnnnn-" began Green.

"I didn't say he was one of the Major Arcana! I just said it was a possibility!" I whispered, trying awfully hard to defend myself.

"Possibility? At what? 99%? 50%? Or maybe 0.00000001%? You are so dead, Champion of Johto."

"I know." I replied through chattering teeth.

"But, I wager on that possibility of yours."

"Yes, I'll treat you to Wagyu be- sorry, what did you say!?" I asked in alarm.

"Maybe Sakaki- I mean, Silver, might manifest into a card in future. Just like you. I'll take all the chances we have."

My jaw dropped open. This guy was not angry. Not angry? Does that mean I'm not in trouble?

"Stop looking at me like that." Green warned.

I nodded my head vigorously. Then I brushed past him, relieved and relaxed.

"Let's go back home!" I yelled enthusiastically.

* * *

The Miltank laid motionless on the ground, having no sign of consciousness. Whitney bit her lower lip as she fought against the tears that threatened to flow out. They had been worn down by the battle against Charizard, and Red's Pikachu was more than enough to defeat them fair and square.

"Miltank is down! It's Pikachu's victory!" Mitch bellowed. The Gym Guide glanced at the Goldenrod City Gym Leader. By now, Whitney was sobbing, the girl frustrated that she had lost. Red backed away, surprised that she cried. He had never witnessed a crying Gym Leader before.

Whitney suddenly stomped forward, her arms moving in large swings. She pushed her hand out violently, hitting the trainer's chest.

"Here's your badge! And I won't lose to you again!" She shouted as she dropped a shiny yellow badge. Red fumbled a little, but managed to catch it in time. Red then stared at her in confusion.

Whitney swerved around and stalked off, the girl having a mad expression on her face as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"What? Is crybaby Pink-hair crying?" Morty mocked.

"None of your business, perm!" she yelled, and brushed past the Ecruteak City Gym Leader.

"Yes, yes, you frightening lady." he sighed, before he tapped her on the shoulder, and whispered something into her ear. Whitney's eyes widened, her tears stopping immediately due to shock.

"A Mega-!?"

Morty swiftly covered Whitney's mouth.

"There's no need to shout." He scolded, then removed his palm.

"Okay, okay... So do we have to tell him?" she whispered anxiously.

"I'm going to tell him now." Morty smiled. "See his face? I betcha he has loads of questions going in his mind now. I'd rather clear his doubts so that he can focus on battling."

Whitney wiped her wet cheeks, and then huffed, "Do what you want, baka Matsuba. Just don't lose too badly."

"You're supposed to say 'Win against him, because I'm cheering for you!', you know, that kind of encouragement?" Morty jested.

"Who would want to cheer for you? I'm returning to Mikan-chan." She said and headed for the door.

"Jasmine eh?" Morty muttered under his breath, before he stepped onto the platform. He cast a glance towards Mitch, who nodded nervously.

"... You kept me waiting." Red said from the other end.

"Waiting for answers?" Morty replied with a smirk. "About your Charizard, I mean."

"So you know what that was... Tell me." said Red.

Morty laughed.

"Simply put, your Charizard was undergoing something not common in Kanto and Johto."

"... Which is?" asked Red hesitantly.

"Mega Evolution. Heard of it?"

"No."

"Argh. I have to explain everything to you..." complained Morty as he ruffled his blonde hair. "Mega Evolution had already happened since ages ago, but a few years back, Kalos developed the theory pertaining to it, so pokemon already at their last stage of evolution could further evolve into something even greater and more powerful. I believe recently, Hoenn and this other extremely far away region have it too... what was it called again? Alola?"

"Anyways, it's not really common. Because you will need three things for Mega Evolution to be possible. And that's what made your Charizard something of a rare case."

Red quirked an eyebrow, while in his head, he was comprehending whatever Morty had said. "How?"

"I'm not a whiz at this kind of thing, but at the very least I know that Mega Evolution, you'll need something called a Key Stone, a Mega Stone, and strong bonds between trainer and pokemon. But you have neither a Key Stone, nor a Mega Stone. And from what I observed, your Charizard was trying to mega-evolve, but in a very unstable way, as if it were choosing to evolve between a Mega Charizard X and a Mega Charizard Y. Is this the first time it has happened?"

"... Yes."

"Huh. This'll be interesting. But such oddity is not within my expertise. I'm just a Gym Leader after all."

"... What causes Mega Evolution?"

Morty face-palmed himself and then gazed Red from in between his fingers. "Like I say, I'm not a scientist!" he grumbled. He faltered for a moment. "But I can show you what a proper Mega-Evolved pokemon looks like."

Morty then signaled Mitch, who gulped in surprise. The Gym Guide blew his whistle.

"Go Gengar!"

"... Pikachu."

The Shadow Pokemon, upon appearance, disappeared in an instant.

Red tensed up, his heart suddenly racing very fast. Pikachu went on all fours, back arched upwards, the mouse being extremely alert. Ghost type pokemon were a sneaky bunch.

Something dashed past Pikachu, and the mouse growled.

"Pika pika!" he cried out. Red gritted his teeth, and commanded a move.

"... Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu ran sideways, his cheek pouches leaking electricity. He ran around, whilst keeping his senses keen, in order to detect his opponent.

There.

A shower of lightning burst out from all over Pikachu's body, it headed diagonally towards a shadow located mid-air. The attack hit, and a cloud of dust exploded.

A pop.

Red stared at the spot where Thunderbolt landed. There was no Gengar.

The trainer calmly commanded Pikachu to do the same thing again. The mouse dashed about speedily, and unleashed electricity onto yet another shadow. And again, there was no Gengar.

Both Red and Pikachu frowned, and exchanged glances. Meanwhile, Morty was just smirking at the opposite end. Shadows darted around Pikachu, taunting him. The mouse steadied his breathing, as he awaited Red's call.

"Use Discharge."

As quickly as the command was sent out, Pikachu released sparks and lightning that shot out in all directions, shocking the air and paralyzing Morty, Red and Mitch. Clouds of dust emerged in various spots, and 'pop's resounded throughout the Gym. When the attack died down, Gengar was finally back on the platform, looking rather singed, but mostly unscathed.

Morty touched his skin, and winced in pain when the static electricity zapped him. That Pikachu was after all, part of an ex-Champion's team. He gazed at Red, who returned a stern stare.

"So you noticed." said Morty. "This is the first time anyone saw through it that quickly. Even Ethan had to take more than ten minutes."

"... Double Team. That's one simple, yet nasty move you've taught your Gengar." Red replied. That single move had almost played both of them right into Morty's palm.

 _But I admit that was remarkable._ thought Red.

"Why thank you," replied Morty playfully. Red blinked, wondering if the Gym Leader had overheard his thoughts, or had simply replied to his comment. Morty Matsuba was a strange one.

"But I wonder, do you really want to know about Mega Evolution?"

"... Sorry?"

Morty pointed at his Gengar.

"See the anklet on Gengar?"

Red looked down, and just like what Morty said, a thick, silver anklet with engravings on it encircled the pokemon's leg. A large purplish red stone was fitted in the center, its surface polished and shiny.

"That's a Mega Stone." Morty pointed at the anklet. "And as for the key stone..."

Morty unraveled his scarf, and took out a steel necklace that jingled out noises. He twirled the thin chain, and lifted it out, showing off a small, spherical, iridescent stone that was set within a yellow triangle.

Seeing the two objects, Red pursed his lips. Then he said, "... So this means that this Gengar..."

"Can mega-evolve."

"... Show me this mega-evolved pokemon." Red uttered with much enthusiasm, for he was getting more and more curious about this whole Mega Evolution business.

Morty wagged his index finger. "No can do," he said. "But you can make me use it. Show me your true worth as a past Champion, and if you can convince me that I can never defeat you unless I use Mega Gengar, you'll get your reward."

Red felt the corners of his lips reaching up.

"So, in other words, I've got to put in my all."

"Yep. No complacency and no more half-hearted performance." Morty replied.

Red breathed in, his chest heaving, while Pikachu and Gengar glared daggers with each other, the Shadow Pokemon tauting the electric mouse by making funny faces.

With a grin, the trainer said,

"With pleasure."

* * *

It was a bright morning. Yet, the thick curtains were drawn, draining the room light and warmth. Only a single candlelight that stood on the mahogany wooden table illuminated the space. The man drummed his fingers upon the tabletop, his hollow black eyes staring ahead. He held no smile, no love, and no light within his gaze, his presence itself dominating maliciousness and bloody intent.

He flicked his finger at the wine glass, which clinked musically, and the purple liquid rippled. The man was still looking ahead, but at what, or whom, was something that should not be delved into by any sane being.

"Humans are such a troublesome species." He muttered. "Horrendous, all of them."

"I've always questioned my existence. Am I simply a human being? Maybe I am. I won't ask you either, my esteemed guest. You and I are fundamentally different. You're a creation, and I'm a puzzle."

The man gracefully picked up the wine glass. He inhaled its faint aroma, and then swirled the liquid.

"Then there's them. The Originals. The Major Arcana. The Twenty-Two. The Seekers. Arceus sure gave them fancy names, don't you think? Made them into legends, special existences that disgust me to the core."

He leaned forward, and smiled.

"What about you? Arceus had played a horrible trick on you, didn't he? By making you into a nightmarish creature, I mean."

"Don't be offended. I merely wish to demonstrate how we're similar."

"Similar, in what way, you asked? Why, we loathe the Creator. He made you this way, and made all creatures fear you."

He smiled.

"Be patient, my dear comrade. I called you here in bright daylight without any intention to bore you. Here comes the tasty part."

He sipped the wine.

"Oh? Wine in the morning? I should have drank coffee instead? My, my, I don't see what is wrong. And this, is not the main point."

The candle flame flickered.

"I'd like to know how much will it take to crush all of humanity. How much, will it take to render them weak and helpless like milleniums ago."

"Oh, you don't wish to hurt humans? Incorrigible. Did Arceus create you to love and cultivate peace? No, my comrade. Your existence is to strike fear in all creatures, and you despise that. You have no obligation to love humans. And here's the catch. Humans are Arceus' weakness. Because he loves them, for they provide the answers that he craves."

"What about me? Biologically, I am human. But ultimately, I am not one."

"So what am I, is that what you're asking? What would be nice word to describe myself... ah, I just thought of one."

"Oblivion. Well, well, well, it does have a nice ring to it."

"So you are curious about what I plan to do. Now, here I ask you, what do you think I plan to do with humans? Massacre? No, that's too vulgar. Torture? Whoever does that is a shallow person."

He laughed for a full ten seconds. Then he sipped his drink.

"I'd like to call it a game, where I am the mastermind, and l assemble all the players. And those who have the good fortune to participate in it are the Major Arcana, the Pokemon League, all the pokemon trainers, all pokemon, legendary ones and mythical ones included."

"So, you know in every game, we need the characters to oppose each other, and fight for victory. Now, no matter how you look at it, things will not go in my favor. Unless, there are players to oppose the human and pokemon factions. I need a player to turn the tides. And I know you can do it."

"You have your hatred to Arceus, you do not need to help humans. You can be the player I need."

"You don't want to work under me? Whoever said about working under me? You're my comrade in arms, you are the brawn, and I am the brain. We are both masterminds. And sooner or later, I will gather more players, and we will have fun, so much fun as we watch our enemies suffer. Your enemy is Arceus. And mine, is both humans and Arceus."

"You have conditions? Why, I'll accept whatever they are! I'm a very open man, after all. I believe that the deal is done?"

The candlelight went out.

"I look forward to your cooperation, Darkrai."

* * *

 **I hope all readers have enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for the support :)**

 **Cheers,**

 **onetimetrip**


	17. Chapter 17: No Mercy

**A/N: Okay... it's** **Yūki. Brendan Yūki. Thank you "The 25TH Blueacid" for pointing that mistake out hahaha. I believe there is a similar mistake in Chapter 13, but since I lost the freaking document, let's just correct the mistake in this chapter :)**

 **To SceptileBlade: the "onetimetrip" at the end of every chapter is just me signing off :D**

* * *

 **No Mercy**

The interior of the Goldenrod City Gym was dusky and fairly dark, with wispy odourless smoke creeping all around in the air. There was a ghostly aura all around, which was a given, since Red was now fighting against a Ghost Type Gym Leader. It took only mere seconds for the whole arena to be set up, for the Gym was equipped with all sorts of stuff to adapt into all kinds of Gym Battles. All Gyms had this convenience.

Under these conditions, Red could not see where Morty stood. The status screen's brightness was set to a minimum, and thus the Gym Leader was only rendered visible from the frequent sparks of lightning released by the agitated Pikachu. Both pokemon had been on a stand-still for quite some time, as neither Pikachu nor Gengar had made any moves.

After long minutes of waiting, the mouse finally detected movement.

In that instance, Pikachu pounced onto the shifting shadow, but hit the ground instead. He hissed angrily, and turned around as he sensed his opponent heading to his left He ran, using his electricity to propel himself forward.

Faster. Faster.

A Thundershock.

"Gengar!" the opponent yowled as its nerves were paralyzed and it abruptly fell to the ground.

"Not bad." Morty voiced out in the dark. "But this isn't enough. Gengar! Double Team."

Multiple copies of the Shadow Pokemon appeared, all shifting about with grins that spilled out mischief. It's ominous laugh resounded throughout the Gym.

"Shadow Ball."

All the Gengars started aiming spheres of dark energy at Pikachu, who glared daggers at the numerous tenebrous Gengar copies.

"... Counter attack all of them with Discharge."

Pikachu did as told, and the electricity shot out, neutralizing all the Shadow Balls and struck all the Gengars. Each of them popped into small tufts of white smoke, with the original nowhere to be found in the arena. A clean tap of the foot was heard, and following after, Gengar's HP bar that was displayed on the status screen became full in seconds and his paralyzed condition instantly disappeared.

"Shadow Punch."

"Run." Red urged.

Everything became a blur, as both pokemon disappeared and appeared between intervals, sparks of lightning crackling in the air and on the ground whenever Pikachu reappeared. All of a sudden, Gengar materialized, and swung the ghost attack down at Pikachu.

With a burst of electricity, Pikachu shot forward, dodging the attack in the nick of time. Shadow Punch landed on the ground, causing a small dent on the reinforced platform. Gengar laughed maniacally and sped after Pikachu.

"Catch it!" Morty yelled.

Gengar pressed on, but only saw its opponent darting further and further away, electricity bursting from its feet that served to accelerate the mouse's movements.

"Aim your Thunder backwards." Red said coolly.

With the furious kick of his legs, Pikachu shouted a battle cry and channeled a good amount of voltage to his hind legs. The electricity erupted all over Pikachu's small body, and then a massive lightning bolt shot out from his tail, straight at Gengar. In a panic, Gengar tripped over and fell flat on its face. Be it fortune or disaster, the attack shot across its back, applying a significant amount of damage on it, but at least it partially evaded the deadly move.

However, Thunder certainly spelled disaster for Morty, and he gasped in shock as the mass of blinding lightning headed straight for him.

"Shit!" He yelled as he squatted down instinctively, his heart palpitating wildly.

The lightning grazed past Morty's head, and impacted on the walls of the Gym. A fearsome explosion rang throughout the arena. The commotion died down in seconds, and Red blinked open his eyes, although unable to see the aftermath of the destruction, he could taste the smell of burnt metal.

A shriek pounded his eardrums a second later.

"Sir? Sir?" Mitch inquired anxiously. His fingers were already ready to press the light switch. He feared for the Gym Leader's safety, and his index finger was slowly pressing down onto the button.

"No, no! Don't turn on the lights!" Morty shouted.

Too late.

The Gym lit up in that very moment, giving all people present a good look at Morty, whose face burned bright red in outrage, as his hands clamored onto his hair. Behind him, stood a singed wall that emitted glowing red heat.

Both Red and Pikachu stiffened for a second, before they started laughing uncontrollably in unison. Right opposite the platform, the curly hair of the Ecruteak City Gym leader was no longer curly, rather, a singing blonde afro was atop his head in the most hilarious way possible. Morty glared at Red in annoyance, and stood up. He cracked his knuckles and shook his head.

"Now you got me really mad, Red. And that Thunder... " Morty paused to take in a heavy, dangerous breath. "It seems you are, rather serious, I must say. Well then."

Morty Matsuba tapped his feet twice, and the Shadow Pokemon reappeared. All of a sudden, the Mega Stone on its ankle shimmered, while Morty dangled his necklace, the Key Stone shining in resonance with the Gengarite.

"Let's see how you will fare against my Mega Gengar!"

Iridescent rays of light spewed forth from the two stones, engulfing Gengar in a whirl of colours. Amidst the luminescence, a symbol burst out for a split second, before fading away. Gengar's figure changed shape, and with another flash of light, Mega Gengar was revealed before Red and Pikachu.

Clouds of mist partially obscured Gengar, the lower portion of its body appearing to be sinking into the mist. Its body became wispy and wraith-like, spikes protruding out from its hands and tail. An eerie yellowish eye on his forehead blinked open, giving Gengar a mystic look. The pokemon's mouth split in an even wider grin, sending chills down Pikachu's spine.

Red froze as an uncomfortable feeling crept along his neck. He instinctively lurched forward, the boy feeling a strangling sense of fear that was trying to swallow him whole. The arena's temperature dropped to almost raw temperatures, the Gengar's mere presence chilling and malicious. Red glanced at the Gym Guide, who was moving further and further away from the platform, his face pale and frightened. Mitch was evidently spooked out.

Meanwhile, Morty was the only one who seemed unaffected. His hair was properly sorted out, and had revert back to its normal state.

"How'd you like my Gengar?" The Gym Leader chuckled.

"Hate it." Red replied without hesitation. The moment the Mega Gengar appeared, he knew that it will be trouble. And that uncanny smirk on Morty's face made things all the more troublesome.

"Just what I wanted." Morty said. "Mitch, the lights. We can't do battle without the right atmosphere."

Mitch hesitantly reached out for the light switch, hoping that his greatest fears will not be realised afterwards. The Gym was once again plunged into a darkness darker and more sinister than before. Meanwhile, other than Pikachu's lightning, Gengar's eyes radiated balefully, his third eye brighter and spookier than anything else alive in the arena.

"Disappear, Gengar." Morty's voice commanded

The ghost type's grin went wider, it's third eye blinking twice. Then it abruptly sink into the mist, and vaporized.

Pikachu held his breath, his senses sharp and clear as he tried to detect the foe.

The darkness persisted. And a shadow crept up onto Pikachu like a silent assassin.

The mouse stoned as a pink and long tongue licked his cheeks. His mind went blank.

Three sharp taps of the foot.

A Shadow Ball hit cleanly at the motionless Pikachu, who was knocked back to reality with the ghost type move. He hissed angrily, and looked left and right to search for his hidden opponent, but to no avail.

"Pikachu." Red called out firmly. Pikachu straightened immediately, and before long, he disappeared with sparks lingering at where he once stood.

Mitch blinked furiously, realizing that the electric type was already zipping all around the platform.

Yet, with a toothy grin, the Gym Leader deftly tapped his right foot.

Red's eyes widened in surprise, for he could not believe what he was seeing. He could follow Pikachu's movements, just barely in the dark, yet right before him, Morty's Gengar was committing a unbelievable feat.

The ghost type was matching Pikachu's speed.

Pikachu glared at Gengar, feeling irritated. He growled, and released more electricity towards the ground, allowing him to accelerate.

Yet, the Gengar still managed to keep up.

"Shadow Punch." Morty shouted. Gengar immediately swung his spiky fist at the moving mouse with absolute accuracy. Pikachu did not have the chance to brace himself, and was soon cleanly thrown across the platform.

Pikachu picked himself up, feeling bruised all over. What was with that attacking power?

The simple demonstration of speed and attacks was enough to astonish Red. He knew he had invited trouble, but not this kind of trouble.

The Gengar disappeared, and Morty tapped his left foot. In that instance, the ghost type reappeared behind Pikachu and tackled the mouse. Caught off-guard, Pikachu was easily punched multiple times, and he tumbled away. Gengar then disappeared once more, and launched yet another attack from beside the mouse. It all happened consecutively, and in such a minimal amount of time that it appeared as if Gengar was teleporting here and there.

Morty's Gengar was formidable. No, it was Morty himself. His remarkable way of battling left no holes in his attacks, and were clean but powerful. His pokemon training had shaped the Gengar to be strong. It truly was not the levels that determine a pokemon's strength.

It was the trainer.

Morty Matsuba was certainly no ordinary trainer.

Even so, he must not fall behind.

Red faltered for a moment.

"Pikachu, run."

Thinking that his trainer had some ideas in mind, the mouse obeyed and started to dash around once more.

"That trick again?" Morty sighed in disappointment. "Boring, aren't you?"

Morty directed Gengar to chase after Pikachu, and the mega-evolved pokemon did so, its speed parallel to the electric mouse. Grinning triumphantly, Gengar got ready to unleash another ghost type attack.

"... Thunderbolt."

A ear-splitting snap momentarily stunned Gengar, and at the next second, it suffered the full brunt of the electric attack. Gengar's body skidded across the ground. It whimpered a little, then picked itself up staggeredly, for it was once again, paralyzed by the lightning. Its HP bar was instantaneously dangerously near to the red zone. Morty frantically tapped his feet, and Gengar flew back to his trainer. With a quick adminstration of a Hyper Potion, its HP refilled.

"Pika pikachu!" The mouse shouted after it glanced at the status screen, annoyed that the attack was not enough to finish his opponent off. Gengar's defence must have increased after Mega Evolution, so the result was not that much of a surprise to Pikachu. Yet, secretly, he was thrilled that he managed to deal such serious damage on his troublesome opponent. He smiled a little. Red would definitely be satisfied with that.

"... Pikachu, no more cake for you." His trainer called out sternly.

The mouse's face went white.

What did Red say again?

Cake?

No cake?

Pikachu jerked his head towards his trainer's voice and his eyes met Red's icy stare that seemed to permeate through the dark.

"You should really take care of that bulging stomach of yours."

"Pika!?" The exclamation slipped of his tongue, and Pikachu's paw involuntarily felt for his round belly.

Until, a headbutt hit him squarely on the mentioned belly.

"You shouldn't take your eyes off the match, ex-Champion. That is so, so, so, so rude. Settle your domestic affairs sometime else." Morty interrupted, his tone bored and lazy. He tapped his foot, and Gengar geared himself up for another Shadow Ball.

"... Not domestic affairs, it's something called motivation." Red answered with a small smile.

A violent spark of light.

A crack of sonorous thunder.

The ceiling lights flickered on and off uncontrollably. Then, as if on cue, from left to right, all the lights lit up for a full three seconds, before all the light bulbs burnt out abruptly.

Gengar's smirk was flipped over in disbelief.

The electricity seemed to tingle Morty's and Mitch's nerves, as both of their skin hair stood on ends. Goosebumps or not, it did not matter.

Gengar did not budge one bit. Completely paralyzed. His third eye narrowed indefinitely.

Red, however, appeared unfazed by the electricity outburst. As if he was used to it.

The irregularity prompted Morty to break out in cold sweat, and he shifted his focus to the sparks of lightning that illuminated the arena. Undoubtly, Pikachu was the cause of the disorder.

"Gengar, you've got to move." Morty said while tapping his foot incessantly. He had an idea of where his pokemon was standing in this inky darkness, and he knew that the apparent attack Pikachu was going to unleash had to be avoided at all costs.

"Gar Gengar." his pokemon replied audibly, and Morty clicked his tongue in annoyance. He could sense his pokemon, and he was made aware that Gengar was unable to move. Why now, of all times?

The electricity seemed to run even wilder, as Morty felt a zapping sensation that ran up his spine. The Gym itself was being lit up from the blinding stark white of Pikachu's lightning.

The mouse was charging up, his red pouches drinking in all the electrons. And the way he was sucking in all the electricity was causing the whole place to go haywire.

"Hah hah." Morty laughed unenthusiastically. So this was what Red called "motivation". And things were going to get ugly. Meanwhile, Red did not bother to direct Pikachu anymore, he had just flicked on the switch that triggered a total release of the power of his pokemon.

Within Pikachu's mind, two words repeated itself over and over again.

No cake.

No cake.

No cake.

That, was the trigger to his rampage mode.

Morty and Gengar braced themselves for the attack. The next blow will not be Thundershock, nor Thunderbolt, nor Discharge, nor Thunder.

It was a giant mass of destructive lightning.

* * *

Daigo Tsuwabuki, or known by most as Steven Stone, had not come to Ever Grande City in ages. He had wandered around many places while doing his favorite hobby: searching and collecting stones. Some said he wandered for too long, but he was never tired of being a wanderer.

Also, he had not touched the door to the Champion's office in ages. Giving out a sigh in nostalgia, he knocked twice.

"Please enter."

Steven, with a briefcase in hand, pushed the door open. A spacious office with crazy tall shelves stuffed full of books lined along the sides, and more shelves crammed with fiction, non-fiction and dictionaries of all sorts of languages. Those many shelves contained more books than a library could. This was quite the stark contrast to the interior of the office when _he_ was the Champion: shelves stuffed full with stones ranging to the tiniest pebble to the rarest Alexandrite all in their unpolished form. There was even a small area dedicated to gym equipment. A single vase holding one sunflower was set on the windowsill, windows closed and white curtains opened. And in the middle of it all, was a table that had elongated stacks of papers that threatened to topple with the slightest wind blown at them.

He moved a few steps forward as his eyes searched for the familiar figure of Brendan. Or perhaps not. He had not seen the boy for two years.

"Yūki." He said. "Where are you?"

"Here." A hand peeked out from the paper barricades, waving slightly, before it shot back down.

"What's with all these papers? I don't remember getting so much paperwork when I was in that seat." Steven chuckled as he approached the table. He looked over, finding the teenager in working mode while wearing a never before seen pair of spectacles, his forehead trickling with sweat. His right hand was furiously signing the documents, while his left was placing the completed pieces onto a stack that looked as if it will take forever to reach the height as the uncompleted stacks.

"I neglected work for two weeks."

"That explains it. Where did you go this time?"

"Lavaridge. I took it upon myself to go for a vaca."

"Why did I ask? You went with her, didn't you?"

"Yeah." Brendan replied as he continued eliminating the monsters named "work".

"You should be glad that Hoenn's system is different from Kanto and Johto, or else you would not have been let off easy by Doppo. Imagine it, the Kanto and Johto Champions battling challengers everyday. You chose the right region to be Champion, Yuki."

"Kanto and Johto tweaked the system. Now the League can only be challenged on certain days." Brendan answered.

"I know that. I was just putting forth a point. Need help with those?"

"These need my signatures."

"The others?"

"Some sorting out will help. Just split them into terms of importance. Those that are important are-"

"I know, I know." Steven said. "I know my stuff, Champion."

"Thanks."

"My pleasure."

After placing his briefcase at the side of the table, Steven, along with Brendan, went on cranking up their engines, drilling through the paper work.

"Hey, Daigo."

"Mmhmm."

"How was your travels?"

"Fine, fine. I managed to get what you requested."

"Oh?"

"Quite the trouble I had to go through. Now, keep quiet and let's clear your table quickly so we can get a good talk."

Both went back to being buried underneath the papers.

One hour later, the table was left with minimal scraps of paper. Upon clearing them out, Steven and Brendan let out long sighs, as both fanned themselves with their hands. The office was air-conditioned, but the paperwork had left both males breathless and drained.

"Coffee or tea?" Brendan panted.

"Coffee. Less sugar."

"Why... did I ask?"

The Hoenn Champion jabbed a finger at the intercom. After relaying his orders to his Secretary Kyoka, he removed his misted spectacles and swiped off the sweat on his neck. He stood up to get a breather, and Steven finally got a good look at his friend who had grew two years in his absence.

It was quite the change.

The working out in his gym corner had sculpted his body well, and his skin had certainly became tanner. His chin had turned sharper, blue eyes more deep-set and his whole face radiated maturity and charm. He was not wearing his beanie, and his black hair was neatly combed, with a thin ahoge hanging out from the middle of his head. The fourteen year old Brendan Yūki had vanished totally. For all these years, this single trainer had defended the position of Champion relentlessly, and his strength was recognized everywhere.

Steven Stone had never been more glad and assured to pass the baton to someone.

The secretary entered minutes later, and set down two cups of drinks, Japanese green tea for Brendan, and fragrant Arabica coffee for Steven. She nodded her head towards Steven as a form of greeting, in which he candidly nodded back. After she left, Brendan sat back down in his seat, looking more refreshed.

"Is it weird for her to have a seventeen years old to be her boss?"

"Not really. There's a twelve, soon to be thirteen years old kid that is a Champion in my home region, how's that?"

"Hibiki Ethan. He's an interesting figure, I must say. So was Red, wondered where he disappeared to."

Brendan raised an eyebrow while drinking his green tea.

"Mmmm." He smacked his lips in satisfaction from his thirst being quenched. "We'll meet him once we reached there."

"Red?" Steven widened his eyes. "He's back?"

"What if he is?" Brendan smiled.

"Then there'll be giant headlines in Shizen Shimbun. How did you know?"

Brendan's blue eyes seemed to smile along with his lips. He sipped a little of his tea.

"Green Oak."

"Curious and curiouser. When were the two of you close enough to share such information?"

"Four years ago. Around, maybe, the time Red became the champion. Oh, he was remarkably fascinating during that phone call."

"How so?"

"Mmm. Rude and arrogant. His ego was awfully huge. I had to scold him. I had to. It was my duty as a senpai."

"Hmm." Steven shrugged his shoulders. "For what reason did he had to call you?"

"Hahahahaha." Brendan laughed. "Know what were his first words to me once I picked up the phone?"

Steven gestured his friend to go on. Brendan stood up and leaned over, before he whispered.

"Are you one of the Major Arcana."

Steven blinked his eyes incredulously, while Brendan sat down.

"That's the first time something like this happened ever since you told me about the cards. You've kept your mouth quite sealed shut." Steven murmured.

"I know right? To think he would ask that outright, he must have been too enthusiastic."

"So I expect that you told him."

"Nope. Did not."

"What?" Steven set his cup down with a clatter in surprise.

"I said I wasn't one." Brendan winked. Steven narrowed his eyes and sighed. In return, the Hoenn Champion grinned, his eyes all smiles.

"Again. That's why I'm never tired of you."

"But it's the truth!" Brendan insisted.

"Yeah, yeah. You're only a half-card, you're not _one_. I understand already." Steven said. "Mr First."

"What? I am the first one to know I'm a card-"

"At the age of ten. Okay, I assume that Green Oak is a card. Which one?"

"The Magician. He even tried to explain the whole thing about the deck! From top to bottom!" Brendan chuckled. "But in the end, I told him I would provide my utmost support in the matter."

"I can imagine the face you were making while talking him." Steven said and drank a bit more of his coffee.

"Green Oak is a strong ally." Brendan said. "I will tell him about myself in due time. But still, he does provide solid and timely information."

"Information?"

"He called me this morning via my private number."

"Private number? Honestly, when were you two this close?"

"Trust me, it solely for the exchanging of classified information. Anyways, he found three others-"

"Three!?" Steven shouted. "That's too fast!"

"And some important information."

"Wait wait wait." Steven held his hand out. "Who are the three?"

"Ah ah ah, they, are some very, very shocking beings."

"Tell me about it. I've received enough shock in these last 25 years."

"Red. The Fool"

"Okay, I'm shocked."

"Ethan. The Chariot."

"Shocker." Steven gasped.

"Lyra Kotone Elm. The Hierophant"

"That was anti-climatic."

"Daughter of Professor Elm, the one who produced the thesis that overturned the concept of Pokemon breeding. She's famous in her own right."

"Shocked again. Haven't heard that name in some time. Then? The important information?"

"Six of us will be gathered in a week's time. And one of us, with my other half and I not included, will gain the power of the Zap Plate."

"Is this coincidental or...?"

"Fate? No idea, but it's interesting isn't it?" Brendan twirled a pen in his fingers. "Finally the gears are connecting. I've waited seven years for this."

"And you trained seven years for this. Here, I brought them."

Brendan's eyes lit up expectantly. Steven brought his briefcase up and handed them to the Champion, who opened them excitedly. He took his spectacles and examined the contents for a few seconds, before he clasped the briefcase shut.

"Perfect. How can I ever thank you for your support? Honestly, you're one of the few I can fully trust."

Steven nodded. "My pleasure. This whole Major Arcana business has also made me really intrigued."

"You should. Because apparently someone else is equally, or even more, intrigued and perhaps crazed about this."

"What?"

A disturbed frown formed in between the seventeen years old's eyebrows. He sighed deeply, before opening his table drawer and retrieved an opened envelope that was burnt at the edges. He pushed the envelope across the table.

"There was a ruckus three weeks ago. A fire, in fact."

"Here, in this League building?" Steven exclaimed as held the envelope in his hands.

Brendan nodded grimly. This was unheard of, fire breaking out in a highly guarded premise. Especially when the place of concern is a League building.

"Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the first level took quite the damage. You should have seen it, all charred and smoking."

"Who would have done this?" Steven muttered, as he flipped the envelope to the back, where the words "To Brendan Yūki" were typed, removing all chances of handwriting recognition. "And I presume you found this envelope addressed to you amidst the fire."

"Not one envelope. Hundreds of them raining down and burning. I have at least forty-five exact copies of the one I gave you. The contents were all the same. The culprit must be really desperate for me to attain at least one intact envelope."

"And really smart." Steven commented as he flicked the liquid off the surface of the envelope. "He hid his fingerprints and handwriting. And this paper... is made from common wood. He could be from anywhere. How did the fire started?"

"It's better if you don't know."

"Why?"

"Don't... make me..." Brendan said with a pained expression.

"I need to know, Yūki. I have to. This place was part of me, and is still part of me."

Brendan gazed at Steven's serious look, and with a sigh, he uttered, "Suicide Pokemon."

"... Wha-"

"They were a Pidgeotto, a Xatu, a Staravia and a Fletchinder. The Xatu knocked the guards out with Hypnosis. Apparently, they were carrying a huge box full of the letters, and it's believed that the Fletchinder set everything on fire. They perished, willingly, by diving into the inferno themselves."

"What atrocity... Unforgivable."

"I agree. But currently we have no leads. And whoever sent that, is more villainous than Team Magma and Team Aqua combined."

Steven tore opened the envelope, and glancing at it, he looked up and asked, "Mind if I read aloud?"

Brendan glared at the letter with hate. "Okay." He finally replied.

Steven cleared his throat.

"Dear Brendan Yūki, or should I say, the half-card.

I hope you have enjoyed the entertainment I provided. The four birds diving in for their deaths was a feast for the eyes, I must confess. But that was not even the beginning. With you, and the rest of your brethren, and all pokemon, all humans, things will get interesting.

It has come to my attention that you are the first of the deck to realize your position as a card. You are too, the first to gain the power of a plate. You are decidedly, the most experienced out of all of the cards.

Did I mention that I also know all of your weaknesses? Especially yours, Hoenn Champion.

You are a half-card. You are not whole without your partner. You are not one. Without her, you're no longer a threat.

I know everything about the deck. You and the rest are not enough to challenge me. All you have to do is to struggle, scream, and lament about your own weakness. But, I'm a kind person.

This is a letter of warning. And a letter to spark the next war between the Major Arcana and me. We will play war. We will play with lives on the line. We will play with brawn and brain.

It's not just one war, Brendan Yūki.

They are wars I've fought for ages. And I've always won. Ever since the first generation.

I've set the first stage. I look forward to blood, bones, and bodies sprawled all over the battlefield.

With regards,

Your faithful nemesis.

P.s. Psst, tell your other half to be careful. I might just break her one day."

"Arrghhhhh!" Brendan yelled as he kicked the wall in uncontrollable anger. The vase fell and shatter into blue glass pieces. The sunflower laid limped on the floor. The Hoenn Champion eyed the flower, and as if reminded to calm himself down, he sat down on his seat and evened out his breathing.

"Yūki..."

"I swear to Arceus, if he ever lays a finger on Haruka, I'll slaughter him." Brendan breathed.

"Slaughter. That's a strong word." Steven said softly. "But he gave us some clues, although they don't amount to much. He is evidently very well aware of the deck, but what are these wars he fought for ages? Since the first generation?"

"Daigo. Remember the first generation of Major Arcana?" Brendan said while grabbing a small steel clip.

"Mmhmm."

"What was the outcome?"

"Someone betrayed the deck, and- no way."

All of a sudden the metal clip was twisted at odd angles, scrunched up and finally shattered into bits.

"I don't care whether he is from the past, or someone who wants to play war. If he threatens me, threatens Haruka, threatens pokemon, threatens lives, I will show no mercy." Brendan Yūki growled.

* * *

 **Guess what song I was listening to while writing this chapter?**

 **名前を呼ぶよ (Namae wo yobu yo) by Luck Life, ending theme of the recent anime Bungou Stray Dogs.**

 **Now you know where the name Doppo came from.**

 **Cheers,**

 **onetimetrip**


	18. Chapter 18: The Stage From 3 Years Ago

***Criesss* Why isn't there any emojis in Fanfiction?**

 **I'm having exams starting the next week, and yet I was so eager to write this chapter that I cut short my revision time! I'm in despair. In real despair.**

 **So here comes my bad habit again: No proof-reading. Please cut me some slack, I've got too much in my hands.**

 **Do R &R! :D**

* * *

The Stage From 3 Years Ago

"Geho, geho." Mitch gagged as he fanned away the thick, grey smoke with his hand while trying to expel the pesky irritants that had intruded his nasal passage. His eyes watered in reflex to the dust that accidentally entered his eyes. Coughing harder, the Gym Guide shuffled around like a blind man, as he tried to feel for the emergency electricity switch. The immense attack Pikachu unleashed had brutally cut off the main supply, and had cooked up a storm of smoke that rendered everyone's sight blurred and useless.

His fingers touched the familiar lever, and without further ado, he brought it down. The lights flickered, and soon the whole Gym was bathed in light.

Suddenly, the waiting room door slammed open. And in came howling Chuck.

"What in Arceus happened?" He roared, causing Mitch to quickly cover his ears.

"Chuck, it's just a blackout. Lower your volume." Lance sighed as he trailed behind the burly man. Whitney and Jasmine entered, looking rather confused.

"Blackout? Lance, there were two explosions!" Chuck shouted back, causing the Dragon Master to clap his hands over his ears.

"Everything is fine. Fine, I repeat. This happens a lot during battles. Explosions, destruction and whatnot. We should return to the waiting room." Lance calmly replied, and turned around.

"I refuse!" Chuck yelled, causing Lance to freeze in shock.

"What?" The Dragon Master peered over his shoulder, looking somewhat befuddled.

"Lance, look at all these smoke. This match is intense, and I'm not going to wait in there for my turn." Chuck said, firm in his decision.

"So you're saying?" Lance quirked an eyebrow.

"I'm watching."

Jasmine raised her hand.

"M-me too." Her soft voice trembled slightly.

"If Jasmine's staying, I'll stay too!" Whitney said enthusiastically.

"Haaah... Alright." Lance agreed reluctantly. "I'll stay too then."

"Even so, what the hell is going on here? That's a whole lot of smoke." Chuck exclaimed. "Hey, you over there, mind telling us what happened?"

Mitch flinched, and he nervously replied, "Um, sir, um, the U-Undefeated C-C-Champion's , um, P-Pikachu, used an o-o-overpowered gelectricity m-move!"

 _Gelectricity?_ The four people thought.

Mitch blushed furiously, embarrassed that he had bit his tongue and messed up his pronunciation. Flustered, he continued to explain, "A-And it hit M-Morty's M-Mega Gengar! I think..."

 _Mega Gengar?_

All four of them exchanged glances. Then they all gazed up at the status screen, which was still in the process of recovering.

"What was Mega Gengar's state before he blackout?" Whitney shot out her question.

"Eh? Um, I think it was paralyzed and..."

"And?" The four people asked in unison.

"Um, its HP is still in the green zone, b-but Mr Matsuba used potions, I think, twice?"

If Morty was forced to use his Mega Gengar and potions...

... Then Red's Pikachu is really a force to be reckoned with.

The Ecruteak City Gym Leader was known to be a laidback person. He hardly gets serious during battles.

"Hahahaha, interesting! Truly interesting!" Chuck laughed.

"Ah, the smoke's settling." Whitney said.

Sure enough, the silhouettes of Red and his Pikachu could be seen. Meanwhile behind the smoky cover, Red was smiling, as if he was certain that Pikachu's attack had ended the battle.

Lance observed Morty's side of the arena.

Whitney and Jasmine squinted at the platform, anticipating the outcome.

Chuck crossed his arms, looking remarkably focused as he looked forward.

Mitch gulped. After that outrageous attack, there was no way the Undefeated Champion did not win against Morty's Mega Gengar.

The smoke scattered in all directions, and it took only one instant.

For all those present to drop their jaws in shock.

Red widened his eyes. Gengar was not there. Morty, on the other hand, was just smirking, left hand on hips, looking as laid-back as ever.

"Oh-ho?" Lance said in mild surprise. Chuck was just stunned, while Jasmine was just in awe.

"Damn that genius." Whitney muttered under her breath.

Pikachu looked around, finding his opponent a few feet away from him. There was no doubt that Gengar had evaded the attack.

"How?" Mitch gasped. That Gengar was not able to move, so how in the world did he managed to move so far away from his initial spot?

"Gym Guide." Lance called out to Mitch.

"Y-Yes!" Mitch replied as his whole body stiffened.

"How do you think Morty's Gengar had dodged the attack?"

Mitch paused. After some thinking, he answered, "Through sheer willpower? L-Like, forced itself to move despite the paralysis?"

"No." Chuck objected. "Morty's pokemon are not trained that way."

"Yeah. Pokemon takes after the trainer. That Perm's Gengar isn't the type to push through when in dire situations." Whitney said through gritted teeth. "Damn, he pisses me off."

"S-sorry, I don't understand." Mitch said softly.

"Simply put, Gym Guide, Morty's Gengar did not move through sheer force. He used a move." Lance said. "Now the question is, what move did he use?"

A move to force itself to get away from the incoming attack...?

Mitch held his breath. No way.

"Double Team?"

"You catch on quick, Gym Guide. Double Team is in fact an amazingly versatile move. There are two ways to use this move. One, is to accurately and instantly create copies at any spot without any necessary movement by the original. This is what we usually see in matches." Lance explained.

"What's the second way?" Mitch inquired.

"That's a tricky one. For the second way, the pokemon will require more concentration. Unlike the first type of Double Team, Gengar was actually splitting himself into two. When things split, there will be movement involved, so basically the moment Gengar replicates himself, he is slightly pushed to one side. Morty commanded Gengar to use the second type of Double Team repeatedly, and hence for each copy it creates, it moves further away from the path of the lightning attack. By creating successive copies, Gengar effectively avoids the attack completely, with the copies taking the brunt of the attack."

"Amazing." Mitch said in wonder.

Lance chuckled. "Indeed. In most situations, the second method is useless. But Morty had swiftly reacted to the incoming danger by using Double Team to its full potential. His battle sense is really something."

"... Morty has intelligence." Jasmine pointed out. "... And he makes good use of it..."

"Despite how he looks like, Mitch, Perm is a genius. He's way more talented than I am, and his style of battling is so good that it's annoying." Whitney breathed as she glared at the Gengar that was grinning. Oh, that Gengar truly does take after his trainer.

Meanwhile, Red quickly signaled Pikachu to move. The mouse dashed towards his paralyzed foe, dealing a futile Quick Attack. Normal type attacks just don't work against a Ghost type.

"Eh? Why didn't he use a type move?" Mitch asked.

"Simple. His Pikachu ran out of battery. I believe that lightning attack had drained the mouse all the electricity in its body. Every Pikachu has a electricity storage in their bodies. Red had probably wanted to end the battle with that one move, but after it failed, it has rendered Pikachu to only be able to use physical attacks." Lance replied. "Red's top priority now is to prevent Gengar from getting back to his trainer, or else once Morty applies a Paralyze Heal onto his Gengar, the tables will turn against him. Even if normal type attacks have no effect on ghost type pokemon, his Pikachu still has to use them to divert the Gengar's attention."

"He's being pushed to a corner..."

Lance nodded his head.

"Who do you think will win, Sir?"

"Hard to tell." Lance answered.

"Are you saying that Mr Matsuba may defeat the Undefeated Champion?" Mitch exclaimed.

"No one is invincible." Chuck interrupted. "Somewhere in this world, there will always be someone better than you."

"Agreed." Whitney said.

Mitch was now dumbstruck, wordless as he continued to observe the match, where Pikachu continued to strike many Quick Attacks that simply passed through Gengar's ghostly body.

Meanwhile, a frown was formed on Lance face. He glanced at the red-eyed trainer with a knowing eye.

Red had just started his journey in Johto days ago.

 _Have you realized it, Red?_

Red was sweating profusely as he urged Pikachu to try his best to charge up. But he can't. The overcharge from before had exhausted the mouse, and he needed time to recover before he can start recharging. But now, they were preoccupied in trying to prevent Gengar from moving back to Morty.

 _Do you understand where you are now?_

The Gengar was slowly moving back towards Morty, calm and collected.

 _It's been three years, Red._

Red clenched his fists.

 _Three years ever since you left._

He gritted his teeth.

 _Three whole years._

Something felt empty. Something.

 _People change._

No, it was around him. His surroundings felt strangely empty.

 _People grow stronger._

He felt... lonely.

 _Pokemon grow stronger._

 _"I've changed... Everyone changes..."_

The words he said to Green a month ago struck him. Like a hammer.

Lance narrowed his eyes.

Red lifted his right arm up, and he looked at his right gloved hand.

 _Ah. I see._ He thought to himself.

 _No one has remained on the stage from three years ago._

Lance closed his eyes.

 _In the whole of Kanto, only you stayed on that stage. Those you're currently fighting against is not the Gym Leaders of the past._

 _Everyone has grown stronger._

 _And the Johto Gym Leaders are all on a whole different level._

Red closed his eyes.

 _Everyone you know has became way stronger._

 _Your opponent now isn't the Gym Leaders._

Red exhaled, steadying his breathing.

 _It's change itself._

Lance stared at the trainer, while the other four continued to observe Pikachu, who was still making futile attempts to damage his opponent. The only person that intrigued the Dragon Master, was the young teen.

 _So what will you do now?_

Red's eyes flashed open.

 _Red?_

* * *

"Blearghhhhhh..."

Green patted me on the back a few times out of pity, as I continued to vomit out the contents of my breakfast into the bushes. Kūki purred out of concern, but I did not have the extra energy to say anything to him. Meanwhile, Silver was just staring at me in disgust, his nose scrunching up. It's not as if it was my fault that I had developed motion sickness!

I don't even remember when this started. I was perfectly fine in flight, but for some reason, the moment I touched ground, my stomach acid would churn and trigger a vomiting switch in my brain.

Exhausted, I flopped onto the grass and closed my eyes.

"Hibiki-kun, are you dead?" Green called out mockingly. "You can't die now, you know, Mr Chariot."

"Urghhhhhh..." I groaned.

"Hey, hey, Gin-kun, do something about him, will you?"

"I told you to call me Silver, didn't I, gel maniac!" Silver barked. "You want a piece of me?"

"Oh, I could say the same to you." Green hissed, his tone dangerous. "No one's ever called me a gel maniac, and no one gets away with it."

"I'd like to see you try." Silver said.

I opened my eyes just slightly, and whether it was an illusion or not, I thought I saw sparks of green and white electricity darting in between Silver and Green.

Ah, these two are just like oil and water.

"Hello, there's a dying person... over here." I mustered out the words.

"Who cares!?" The two trainers retorted immediately, and they continued their staring- no, glaring - contest.

Ah, my glass heart broke.

"Arghhhhhhhhh, you guys are heartless!" I yelled as I pounced onto both of them, and miraculously, I recovered in that instant.

But before I could deal with them, Green's hand grabbed onto my head. He was considerably taller than me, and his grip felt like a claw that was going to squash my brain.

"Owowowowow." I complained. Upon laying my eyes onto his face, I froze.

Let's just say I was so traumatized that I can never describe how he looked like during that moment.

"You're a hundred years, no, a million years too early to attack me, Hibiki-kun." Green threatened.

"Hmph. Lame." Silver snorted.

Ah. I don't give a damn about them anymore.

"Hey, since you're fine now, tell us where are we." Silver said.

Green smirked and replied, "Oya, oya, you don't recognize this place?"

I sighed. I had expected that, since it has been ages since he came here. The town had some construction work going on the last few months, so it was pretty different from the last time he was here.

"New Bark." I replied.

A furious glint lit up in his mercury silver eyes, as he suddenly grabbed my collar with two hands.

"What are you playing at? I told you I'm not returning to her!"

Green thrust an arm in between the two of us, separating the two of us. He glared at the both of us, causing us to flinch. Green Oak's glare was enough to paralyze anyone's nerves.

"We came here for business, not to entertain whatever is going on between you and that Lyra girl. So, back off." Green said under his breath. "Either you wait here for us, or come along. It's your choice."

Silver opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it and fell silent. He skipped away from Green and I, and mumbled, "I'll wait."

Then he turned around and pointed towards a tree.

"I'll be right there. Don't keep me waiting for too long, blockheads."

"Alright then." Green said and swiftly dragged me along, with Kūki following behind us.

"Oi, Green! We need to bring him along!" I insisted. "Lyra, she-"

"Shut up." Green cut short my words. "I told you we're not here for melodrama. Do that another time."

I wriggled free from his elbow lock, and after returning my Togekiss into his pokeball, I walked alongside Green, towards the town. I could not retort back, and instead, could only solemnly follow him as he headed towards Professor Elm's lab. Both of us did not forget to put on our cloaks to hide our appearance.

The lab was just a plain, white building and there was not much to look at from outside. Green cocked his head towards the building and I nodded.

Now all we have to do is to have Lyra come out.

I puffed my chest out as I took in a deep breath. I paused, and then, with all my might, I shouted, "LYRAAAA! COME OUUUT!"

I was bonked in the head by Green, who glared at me.

"Ow." I said.

"You reckless idiot!" He hissed irritably. "People will hear you!"

"Nah, they won't. The town's pretty much empty by this time."

Green looked at me skeptically. He glanced at our surroundings, and seeing that was indeed no one tumbling our way, he gave a sigh of relief.

"Will she come out?"

"She will."

Minutes passed by idly, and for some reason, I could feel the glare of a menacing creature eating at me. I shakily shifted my gaze towards Green, who was clicking his tongue, a murderous vibe coming out of him.

Oh dear Arceus, where is Lyra?

"Ethan, what are you doing out here?" A familiar voice came from behind of us.

I've never been more glad than to see my childhood friend.

"Lyraaaa!" I yelled as I dashed towards her. Evidently shocked at my actions, she reacted like how she always did.

Kicking my shin.

"Owowowowow."

"What the heck? Did you hit your head or something?"

Well, in fact, yes. _Someone_ hit me in the head.

"So you're Lyra Kotone Elm." Green said.

"Sorry, you are...?" Lyra asked.

Green removed his hood, and introduced himself, "Green Oak."

Lyra started blushing furiously. Well, she always does that when she sees a good-looking guy. Not that Green is good-looking, in my opinion.

"G-G-Green Oak? That Gym Leader?" She stuttered, her whole face as red as a tomato.

"Yes." Green said as he casually held onto Lyra's hand. He did a small bow, and gently kissed her hand. Looking up, he winked and said, "Pleased to meet you, Lyra."

By now, Lyra's head was giving off steam. I smacked my forehead as I was reminded about something.

Green Oak is a flirt. And he can be horribly good at it.

"P-P-P-P-P-P-Pleased to meet you!"

Uh-oh, she's completely in his trap. That's why I wanted Silver to come. You know, to protect his girl from this monster.

Oh well.

"So, Lyra-chan, the two of us would like to talk to you." Green said.

"A-A-About?" Lyra squeaked.

Green's gaze suddenly turned serious.

He smiled. "The Major Arcana."

Lyra's blushing stopped in that instant. Her expression became very neutral, and she calmly nodded her head.

"Let's talk somewhere else." She turned around, and both Green and I widened our eyes. At her nape, a conspicuous symbol of the Roman Numeral V was neatly tattooed there.

The Hierophant.

She led us to the usual spot: behind the lab, a place where hardly anyone goes. This was where the two of us usually hang out. And as usual, she sat down onto the soft grass patch. Then, the both of us followed suit.

"When?" Lyra inquired. "When did the two of you became one of the cards?"

"3 years ago." Green replied. I blinked my eyes in surprise.

"Just a few days ago." I answered.

"Mine was two weeks ago." Lyra said. "You two saw my tattoo, right?"

Both of us nodded our heads.

"So, show me yours."

Green and I exchanged glances, and then we proceeded to reveal our tattoes.

Green removed his cloak, and tugged at his V-neck collar, showing his symbol: The Roman Numeral I. The proof was engraved on his left clavicle, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Lyra blushing again. I gave an audible sigh, and rolled up my sleeves, showing the Roman Numeral VII that was on my right shoulder.

"I guess that's the end of the introduction." Green said, as he adjusted his collar. "Now, first question, how were the two of you made aware of your status as cards?"

Lyra appeared rather confused. Similarly, I was rendered muddled in the head by his words.

"You mean you didn't have any dreams or anything?" I asked in incredulity.

"No, it was Mew who told me I'm the Magician three years ago. According to it, Arceus only knows the identities of the Fool and the Magician. We have to find the rest ourselves."

"I see. By the way, who's the Fool?" Lyra asked.

"Oh. It's Red. He just knew about it recently." I answered. Lyra gasped, her hands covering her mouth in shock. She blushed furiously, possibly out of embarrassment.

"What? Don't tell me he has a spot in your Hot Guy List." I teased.

I was instantly delivered a heavy punch to my sides, the wind knocked out of me.

"Hot Guy List?" Green asked out of curiousity.

"Nonononono, it's nothing!" She shouted, looking flustered.

"Did you do something to Red? Like punching him, for example." I said again, and Lyra started looking really annoyed and angry. Looks like I've hit the mark.

"Ah, so you did." I grinned mischievously.

She punched me yet again at the sides, and this time I was grovelling on the ground. Her punches stung as usual. Meanwhile, Green looked rather dumbfounded, probably surprised that there was someone else other than him that could punch me to such an extent. He almost had that look of respect on his face.

 _Don't respect her for her violence for Arceus' sake!_ I thought angrily in my head.

"Ahem." Lyra cleared her throat. "Let's ignore Mr Chariot, shall we, Magician-san?"

"Ah. Sure." Green said whole-heartedly.

Ah, my glass heart cannot take it anymore.

"For Ethan and I, I believe we went through something called the Initiation." She explained. "And yes, we have dreams that tell us which card we are."

"What kind of dream?" Green asked immediately. The sparkle in his eyes was a rare sight to behold.

"It's actually... hard to describe. Hey, Mr Chariot, make yourself useful." Lyra glanced over at me and said.

"Weren't you ignoring me seconds ago?" I muttered.

"Ugh. Okay, I'm not ignoring you anymore, so please contribute."

I sat up with a huge grin on my face, and scooted over to her side.

"The dream was all 'Woahh'! And 'Whoosh'! And 'You're the Chariot'! Yep, that's it." I shouted while doing all the elaborate hand actions. Lyra face-palmed herself, and I could faintly hear her saying, "I shouldn't have asked."

"You're hopeless." Green stared at me with a disappointed look. Lyra gave a sigh, and she decided to describe the whole thing herself.

"In the beginning, it's just a very wide space. All white. Then a mirror appeared before me. I couldn't see my reflection, until there's this black figure that started talking from inside the mirror."

"It started reciting something, like a poem of a sorts. It went something like this:

 _The beginning of the end, the end of the beginning._

 _Twenty-two shall rise. Twenty-two shall fall._

 _Twenty-two shall live. Twenty-two shall die._

 _Thou shall be Earth's proxy, mind and soul._

 _Thou shall be the Fifth Card, the Hierophant._

 _Thou shall Believe. Thou shall Restrict._

 _All shall gather. All shall betray._

 _All shall gain. All shall lose._

 _The day of the promise. The day of the betrayal._

 _The end of the beginning. The beginning of the end._ "

"Rise, fall. Live, die. Gather, betray. Gain, lose." Green mumbled, as he rubbed his chin with his fingers. "They are all contradictory words. Twenty-two, that's us."

"But that's different from what it told me!" I said. "Mine was completely different from yours."

"What was yours?" Lyra glanced at me.

I smacked my lips, and breathing in slowly, I started narrating,

" _Beware, beware._

 _The betrayer awaits._

 _Beware, beware._

 _Find all before it's too late._

 _Thou shall be the Earth's proxy, mind and soul._

 _Thou shall be the Seventh Card, the Chariot._

 _Conquest. Destruction._

 _Victory. Aggression._

 _With power and determination._

 _With spirit and domination._

 _Beware, beware._

 _All is at stake._ "

"Well that's interesting." Lyra remarked. "Sounded dangerous."

"Okay, okay, let's take everything slowly, Lyra-chan, the black figure told you that you are 'the Earth's proxy, mind and soul'."

"Yes. I assume it means that we represent the Earth's will."

"Indeed." Green said, his eyes looking really focused. "But why. Why us? Why the Major Arcana?"

"More importantly," I pointed out. "What does Earth want us to do?"

"That too. And those contradictory words... He's asking us to choose."

"Who?" Lyra asked.

"That black figure. Or whoever he or she is. We have to choose between the choices he gave us." Green said as he frowned.

"To rise." Lyra breathed.

"Or to fall." I continued.

"Okay, that aside. It said 'believe' and 'restrict' in my Initiation." Lyra stated. "Any ideas?"

We fell silent for a while, until Green perked up and said excitedly, "Upright and Reversed!"

"Huh?" Both Lyra and I said in unison.

Green's initial excitement fell short, as he stared at us. "Upright and Reversed, you know?" He urged.

Both of us shook our heads in denial.

"Hahhhhhh." He ruffled his hair impatiently. "Wait a minute."

He took out his Xtransceiver, and after pressing some buttons here and there, he said, "Ethan, I'm sending you something."

"Okay." I replied as I whipped out my Pokegear.

My device beeped, and my inbox notified my of the new message. Green had sent to me the link to a website. I glanced at him, and then without further ado, I clicked onto it.

It was an site that was entirely dedicated to the Major Arcana. Lyra leaned towards me, wanting to get a good look at the site. The both of us scanned the webpage for quite some time, and finally did we understand Green's words.

"Each card has a Upright and Reversed side. And each side has a different meaning."

Following that, there was a whole list that labelled all the cards, and all the meanings of its Upright and Reversed sides. Both of us quickly skipped the first few, and started reading from "the Hierophant" onward.

 _The Hierophant (V):_

 _Upright: Religion, group identification, conformity, tradition, beliefs_

 _Reversed: Restriction, challenging the status quo_

I quickly scrolled down, and stopped the moment I spotted "the Chariot".

 _The Chariot (VII):_

 _Upright: Control, will power, victory, assertion, determination_

 _Reversed: Lack of control and direction, aggression_

Thoughts ran in my mind as I picked up the pieces instantly. Belief, restrict, victory, conquest, destruction, aggression...

"They were referring to us, I mean, these meanings!" I exclaimed in delight, and nudged Lyra. "Mine is so cool! Cooler than yours, I mean."

Lyra narrowed her eyes, and replied sarcastically, "Oh, so lacking in control and direction is cool. Yeah right."

"But, you do fit them perfectly. With your occasional hot-headedness and idiocy, I mean." Green chuckled.

"Call it determination!" I replied indignantly. "Plus, I bet yours doesn't even fit you!"

"Oh really." Green said with a challenging tone.

"Yeah!" I answered.

"Take a look then."

I furiously scrolled back up the page, and laid my eyes onto the section about the "Magician".

 _The Magician (I):_

 _Upright: Power, skill, concentration, action, resourcefulness_

"Gu..." I muttered. Everything is spot on. I glared at him, with him returning a cocky smirk. I gritted my teeth, and quickly looked at the portion on the Reversed side.

 _Reversed: Manipulation, poor planning, latent talents_

"Bwahahahaha!" I chortled. "Poor planning, it says! Poor planning!"

"Shut up." Green growled, as he averted his gaze.

"Can we get back on topic?" Lyra said. "We don't have all day."

"Hmph." Green snorted. "Fine by me."

"Let's begin with mine. The black figure said, 'beginning of the end' and 'end of the beginning', I think it is also another choice we have to make."

"I doubt so." I cut in. "It sounds more like the Major Arcana can trigger the start of destruction. Plus, at the end of the so-called poem, it ended off with a reversal of the first line. I think it means that the end and the beginning are two sides of a coin, possibly telling us to be careful, and to choose wisely."

I paused, and saw Green and Lyra staring at me with flabbergasted expressions.

"Did I hit him too hard in the head?"

"I think I hit him too hard just now too."

"Huh, why?" I asked while looking at them, confused.

"Hibiki became smarter!" The two of them shouted in unison.

"How rude!" I yelled. "Come, I shall prove myself!"

"Go on." Green said.

"Okay, so after all the live, die, gain, lose and whatnot, he said 'the day of the betrayal', I think it refers to the first generation. Someone in the deck betrayed the first generation of Major Arcana, so it's a given. And I assume that 'believe' and 'restrict' is telling Lyra her characteristics as the Hierophant."

"Moving on to mine, it first said 'beware', confirming that we need to be careful. Afterwards, it said 'the betrayer', and even in Lyra's part, it said 'all shall betray'. In short, there's bound to be a betrayer among us. 'Find all' is a no-brainer, since it means to gather all the cards, but there will be risks involved."

Silence.

"Hey, say something!" I said as I looked from Green to Lyra. What was with their looks of shock?

"Call-" Green began.

"Call?"

"Someone call the mental hospital!" Green shouted. "Lyra, do you have the number?"

"Yes!"

"Call them now! We've got a crazy guy in between us!"

"Roger!"

"Hey!" I snatched Lyra's Pokegear away immediately. She was really about to dial the number for Arceus' sake!

"There's a limit to how insulting you can be!" I protested while waving her Pokegear.

"There's a limit to how smart you can be!" Green answered.

"Damn you Green!" I howled and got ready to punch him, until my head was gripped by his large hands a second time. I froze indefinitely.

"I told you, Hibiki-kun, you're a million years- no, a zillion years too early to attack me!"

* * *

 _"The Red I knew would get out there! Get out into the world! And prove to cocky bastards like me that he's strong!"_

The trainer eased his breathing. In and out. In and out.

For some reason, he felt unusually calm.

Pikachu was losing.

He was losing.

 _"I've changed... Everyone changes..."_

He was the only left on the stage.

 _"But does that stop you from moving on?"_

Yet he did not felt like giving up just yet.

His eyes flashed open.

Lance's lips turned up into a smile. He closed his eyes, feeling a wave of relief rushing at him.

Red pulled onto his gloves, making it fit more snugly to his hand. Afterwards, he reached out for the one thing he had been dying to wear since day 1.

He wasn't wearing his red vest, he wasn't wearing his usual pants.

But this one thing was what he needed.

Mitch gasped in surprise, attracting Whitney's, Jasmine's and Chuck's attention. They blinked their eyes, none of them expecting that Red would take _that_ out at such a crucial timing. It was totally random, and totally uncalled for.

His trademark cap.

Taking it by the bill, Red casually swung the cap onto his messy black hair. He adjusted it slightly.

"Hoooo..." He breathed out.

 _Time for the counter-attack._

* * *

 **Urgh. Poems. When was the last time I did one? When I was nine? Anyways, I sucked at it.**

 **I'm extending the battle duration between Red and Morty.**

 **Why, you ask?**

 **Because Morty is a goddamn badass. Yep, I like him, hurhur.**


	19. Chapter 19: Komorebi

**We have finally got past 100 followers! Thank you all for being such kind and supportive readers (even though I was MIA for more than four months), and now I present to you Chapter 19!(finally!) Do pardon my tardiness and hope that everyone will continue to enjoy this story. :)**

* * *

Komorebi

The Burned Tower, branded as a heritage site, was everything unlike the reputation it has. It had no fancy gold accents on the door, no elegantly sloped roofs, no infinite number of floors, no exquisite carvings on the wood. 150 years ago, everything it once had was suddenly gone, its appearance reduce to a mere, run-down place that was not every tall enough to be called a "tower", it's "roof" full of gaping wounds and burnt marks, the sunlight that intrudes into the first floor piercing the wooden, dusty ground. Despite its history, hardly anyone would cast one glance at this sad mess of a heritage site.

He found himself often coming here, sitting onto the flaky wooden planks, as he stares up at the "roof" of the Burned Tower, his mind cancelling out the noise with blank thoughts, his pupils dilating as he observed the dust that swirls about under the light, like cosmic stars of the night calling out and grabbing his attention. The Rattatas and Koffings that roamed within the inky corners of the first floor paid no heed to the human, all too familiar with his presence inside their lonely abode. No one except for him will come this deep into the Burned Tower, and there he sat, immersed into his own empty world of silence. He found his frequent visits to be a sort of obligation as the head of the Matsuba Clan, perhaps his odd habit was linked to his ancestors, the ones from 150 years ago that would go to the highest floor of the once grand and beautiful Burned Tower and communicate with a Legendary Pokemon. Or so that what the rumors said. Sometimes he would lament, why did the building burned down on that fateful day 150 years ago, and why did no one ever seem to care much about this place anymore. It was no longer possible to repair it, there were no blueprints, no human capable to remembering its last appearance, and no one that can hope to restore it to its former glory.

Morty could stay in the place for hours. He could sit there motionlessly, like a dead man, as he breathed in the air. Memories can flood into him, and often he couldn't differentiate whether the memories belonged to him, or whether they belonged to some fella from 150 years ago. He thought that if he stayed here longer, he could make sense of the air, of something ancient that was buried deep inside the walls of the tower. He always wanted to meet Ho-Oh, thinking that maybe the Legendary Pokemon was the one that his ancestors talk to in the past, and maybe that it could tell him what exactly happened on the day the tower was burned down to nearly nothing.

Hearing the noise of someone's shoes scraping against the ground, Morty broke away from his thoughts, and his eyes instantly found where the noise came from. An old lady stood at the entrance, erect, one hand holding onto a weirdly shaped cane. She wore a purple dress, a white apron around her waist. He couldn't quite make out her face, for the bright afternoon sun stung his eyes. He narrowed his eyes, squinting hard at the unannounced visitor.

"I'm here to find the Mystic Seer," the old lady barked, rather arrogantly. "Have you seen him, brat?"

Morty picked himself up from the ground, patting away the dust on his pants away, as he answered, "I'm the Mystic Seer, how can I help you?"

"You?" The old lady's tone was sarcastic, as she continued. "Ryuuji's no young, naive brat like you. Where is the old man?"

Morty seemed to freeze for a moment, before he slowly replied, "My grandfather passed away seven years ago."

"Oh. He died."

The answer was a passive one, as if she had expected this to come. She stood there, erect as she was, as she drummed her fingers onto the round, bumpy tip of her cane. Meanwhile, a cloud passed by, shutting out the blinding light. Morty stared straight ahead, rather surprised whoever she was. Agatha Kikuko, the oldest Elite Four.

She held her cane firmly, before she used it to point towards Morty directly, a grumpy look on her wrinkled face.

"Current head of the Matsuba Clan?"

"Yes."

"What about Hyogo?"

"My father's ill."

"Age?

"Twenty."

"Name?"

"Morty."

"Your real name," she snapped. "Not some nickname or aliases you took up."

"Ryota," he answered directly.

"Ryota Matsuba." Agatha pondered a little, and then continued. "Not a bad name that man gave you."

For a second there, Morty got a glimpse of sadness that glazed over the old lady's eyes, but soon the sorrow was blown away, fleeting like the wind. She then stared straight at him, her gaze piercing enough to be mistaken to be a glare.

"So," she began, with a testy look on her face. "You should be able to see the future. Like how Ryuuji did."

The world was full of strange, powerful and mysterious things. And the Matsuba clan had all three words to describe themselves. Each head of the clan was able to foretell the future, from individuals to the whole world. Thanks to this gift, it was said that disasters were avoided and numerous lives were saved. Some may say the clan received this power from a powerful Psychic-type Pokémon, while others may argue that the power is a curse, for the clan may as well be the ones responsible for bringing forth those disasters. It caused quite a stir in the distant past, but now the clan has faded slowly into the background, blending with modern society, with only a few knowing about the wondrous power of the Matsubas. And Agatha was one of them.

Morty did not react whatsoever. Agatha did not really care if he wanted to react or not, she continued to stare at the young man with a critical eye, and he stood still, feeling every part of him being assessed and judged by the elderly Elite. She walked over with firm steps, the sound of her cane hitting the wooden planks resonating with the thumping of Morty's heart. The Gym Leader gulped nervously as the Elite stopped in front of him, and even though she was very much shorter than himself, he could feel the immense pressure emanating from the seasoned Ghost-Type trainer.

"Well, what are you standing here for?" Agatha sharply spoke, her cane rapping the ground in evident displeasure. "Do your thing!"

Morty knew what the old lady was talking about. She wanted him to see her future, and somewhere in his mind, he was aware that Agatha had came to see his grandfather, Ryuuji, a number of times in the past. He wasn't quite sure what was the Elite's relationship with his grandfather. From the looks of it, they were not close, but there was definitely something deeper about their connection. The Gym Leader closed his eyes, his mind blank as he tried to concentrate.

Now, the whole clairvoyance business was not actually done by him. The rumors were half-correct, half-wrong, and in fact, Morty was only a communicator. The true identity of the clairvoyant of the Matsuba clan was...

 _Sei_.

As Morty uttered the ancient name in his head, a ripple in time reached outwards, subtle and incredibly quiet.

He appeared.

Floating before the Gym Leader lazily, his hair was as curly and as blonde as Morty's, where a small ponytail poked out at the back. He wore rich red, purple and white Japanese robes made of silk and expensive materials that signified high standing in old Japan. He appeared extremely laid back, jovial, while a fearsome fighting spirit and wisdom glinted behind his violet eyes. Two small religious bells were tied to a small braid that hung down playfully from the side of his face, ringing faintly as the ghost wavered. Head resting against his arms, he did not even take notice of Morty as he continued to float around the man, his body translucent and seemingly turning transparent a couple of times.

Matsuba Sei was what you'll call, a human ghost.

Sei was Morty's ancestor, the one who wields the power to see the future. Morty was told by his grandfather that Sei had made a pact with Dialga when he was still alive, and he was so adored by the Pokémon that after he died at the young age of thirty, his soul was given a form only visible by his descendants, and now here he stays permanently in the Matsuba Clan, as the clairvoyant and the only ghost resident.

"Ora, ora? Isn't this Ryokichi?" the ghost of Matsuba Sei spoke, his voice only audible to Morty. "It's been so long since you called me out."

 _It wasn't that long, Seikichi. Five years, give or take._

"Five years made Ryokichi's mouth smarter, it seems."

 _Five years and you're still the same old Seikichi._

"It's Sei!" The ghost cried out.

 _Oh, hi, Sei. I'm Ryota._ Morty replied, sarcasm lined within his words.

"You're so uncute," Sei grumbled.

 _I'm not trying to be cute in the first place._

Sei chuckled a little, before he gently turned around, his extravagant clothing billowing in an ethereal manner. Noticing Agatha, a smirk was formed on his lips, his eyes twinkling with a strange light.

"Ora, it's you again," he uttered, even though the old lady could not hear his words, much less see him.

 _You know her?_

"Of course I know her. She used to come and get her fortune told when Ryuuji was still alive."

Morty merely raised a brow for a few seconds, before he shrugged lightly. _Okay, okay, you can start anytime you want._

Sei shrugged and turned away as he said, "Hmph! Ain't doing it."

 _Huh!? Why?_ Morty screamed in his mind, almost losing his cool. Agatha started tapping her cane again and again, and the Gym Leader broke out in cold sweat as he gave the Elite an awkward smile.

Sei grumpily stared at his descendant, arms crossed as he continued, "In the end, she'll die. All humans die so there's no point in me wasting my precious energy in useless fortunetelling."

 _Please?_ Morty pleaded. _She won't leave unless I give her an answer._

"Oh, fine," Sei deadpanned as he floated listlessly towards the old lady. His fortunetelling wasn't as glamorous or spooky or anything like those portrayed in movies. He only had to focus for less than a second, say the fortune and they were done. It really did not take much waiting.

Yet after a whole minute had passed, Sei had no sign of movement. Morty started wondering what was wrong, as he started approaching the ghost very slowly, with Agatha looking at him weirdly, before she dismissed his odd actions with a sigh. The Gym Leader then laid his eyes onto Sei's expression and he froze immediately afterwards.

Matsuba Sei was crying.

His violet eyes were wide open, the whites so stark... white, that he could be mistaken to be a dead man walking... no, floating. Well, he is dead. Drops of tears rolled out the edge of his eye, and for a long while, Morty was perturbed by this strange situation. He never thought ghosts could cry. Much less Matsuba Sei.

Suddenly, the ghost murmured words, the sound of them brittle and dead. He strained to listen, blinking his eyes confusedly when he heard three, rather distinct words coming out of the ghost's mouth.

"Red eyes... Neo?"

Morty did not really understand. In the first place, he never really understood Sei. Even after twenty years.

His ancestor broke out from his trance abruptly, realizing what he had been doing. He hurriedly wiped away his tears, fidgeted a little, adjusted his sleeves, before brushing it off by saying Agatha's fortune in a half-hearted manner.

"She'll lose to two people in the upcoming Indigo League Championships."

Morty took a long look at Sei, who stared back at him, eyes narrowed, as if telling him to switch his attention back to the old lady. The Gym Leader shrugged, and turning to Agatha, he relayed whatever Sei had foretold to her.

"You'll lose to two people in the upcoming Indigo League Championships."

Agatha rubbed her chin pensively, before she looked up at Morty, seemingly unfazed that she was going to lose. He supposed that after being an Elite for almost five decades, it was probably normal for her to experience defeat occasionally. He wondered if he tried being a Gym Leader for five decades, would he experience more than a hundred defeats. Maybe I should start counting, and there he made a mental note to himself.

"So when will I die?" she asked, so naturally that Morty was shocked at how calm she appeared when she asked that.

"I don't foretell deaths," Morty said firmly, stealing a glance at Sei, who was fiddling with the bells tied to his hair. The ghost caught his gaze and momentarily pausing his bored act of playing with bells, he shrugged his shoulders.

"I see," Agatha answered, as she gazed steely at Morty, unnerving him. Maybe it was because she was a fellow Ghost-type Specialist. Maybe that could explain why he could feel chills of displeasure creeping up on his back.

"Good day to you, Ryota Matsuba," said the old lady, a sour tinge in her voice. The tapping of her cane followed after, and soon her figure had walked away, out of the Burned Tower. All that was left inside the heritage site was Morty Matsuba, and a ghost that was centuries older than himself. The ambiance of the Burned Tower flooded the interior all over again, and letting out a relieved sigh, Morty dropped onto the floor, the tension and anxiety leaving his body. A soft silence clouded over ghost and human, or perhaps in this place, the line between the living and dead was blurred.

"So human ghosts can cry," he said out loud. No more need for ghost telepathy when they were alone.

"Pretty much."

Yet another thin silence lingered around for a while, before Morty asked, "So when will Agatha die?"

"Why do you need to know?" Sei answered, quirking his brow bemusedly.

"No reason. Maybe I want to show myself that you can foretell the deaths of living beings."

Sei chuckled loudly, a smile lining on his lips.

"I do foretell deaths, Ryota. It's just that I never tell them to people," he said without batting an eye. "Humans are always so fixated on the most trivial things when all they should do, is to be focused on living."

"Big words coming from you," Morty commented lightly. "Did you not try to foretell your own death when you were still alive?"

Sei flinched, caught off-guard by the sudden question. He quickly loosened his shoulders, and somberly answered, "Of course I did." He smacked his lips smartly, his violet eyes rolling over to look at Morty. "But what use did it have? I still died, right on time."

"That's unfortunate."

Sei smiled, saying, "It's not that bad to die, you know."

"Maybe," Morty replied softly as his eyes followed the specks of dust that danced beneath the sunlight. He sighed, comforted by the warmth. "Can someone not die?" he asked without thinking, before he laughed at himself inside his mind. There was no way that humans can be immortals. He turned his head around, wanting to joke about the thought, until he saw the expression on Sei's face. The ghost was biting his lower lip, creases haunting the space between his eyebrows, a grim and dim light within his violet eyes.

And then, he was gone.

* * *

His eyes blinked open, the scarlet in them burning.

An incredible sense of calmness and rationality swept over Red, his red eyes fixated on his Pokémon, so focused as his field of vision blocked out everything else except for the arena. His brain picked up the necessary information he needed, filtering them out as he started formulating a plan inside his head.

At the average rate at which a Pikachu can replenish its electricity, he estimated that it would take at least four minutes before his Pikachu could move in to attack. It sounded like a very swift business, but in fact, four minutes was nothing but trouble.

Gengar was already trying to get back to his trainer, using the move Double Team like before, slowly but surely. Red took a deep breath, and glanced at the distance between Gengar and Morty, determining that the Ghost-type would definitely be able to return to his opponent in three minutes. And once it managed to return, Gengar will restore its health and remove its paralysis. Afterwards, the outcome of the match will be dependent on whose stamina was better. Playing out a game of stamina wasn't going to be easy. Plus exhausting all of Pikachu's energy at only the first battle of the second match would be a bad idea.

It was strike now, or never.

Yet the problem presented itself before the trainer. Considering the current situation, Pikachu was unable to attack, at all. His Quick Attacks were useless and there were no other non-normal moves in Pikachu's arsenal. He could use Tail Whip as the last resort but it would do little to help, especially when it comes to Gengar's solid defense. Biting his lower lip, Red frowned, and somewhere in his head, he was seriously regretting for not teaching and training Pikachu other type attack moves. And in another part of his head, he tried to remember the type moves that were available to the Electric Mouse species, while scolding himself for being dumb during such desperate situations. It wasn't as if he could teach-

His eyes widened, the idea coming to him like a spark, half of it nonsensical, the other half logical. Well, mostly nonsensical. He thought he shouldn't try it, but he found his mouth shouting battle commands to Pikachu, as if his body had disconnected from his brain. Pikachu obeyed, sprinting towards Gengar again, his tail swiftly slapping onto the ghostly creature. Gengar blinked furiously, surprised that his opponent could suddenly touch itself, before it realized the protective layer over its gaseous body being whittled away.

"Tail Whip?" Whitney said out loud in surprise. "Why Tail Whip? There's no point if he can't even attack."

"Maybe... he's... trying to drop Gengar's defense as much as he could while Pikachu is recharging? It can give him a better chance-" Mitch suggested timidly.

"But it won't do much," Lance interjected.

"Indeed," Chuck agreed with a nod of the head. "He's definitely doing something else."

"Put more force into that Tail Whip, Pikachu!" Red instructed firmly. "Imagine your tail as an iron hammer!"

As the group of trainers discussed among themselves, Red shouted across to Pikachu, breaking their conversation as all of them looked towards the arena with looks of utter surprise and confusion written all over their faces.

"What in Arceus?" Lance gasped, when it occurred to him what the boy was attempting to do. But it can't be. The chances of it succeeding was unheard of. Because no one ever tried to prove it before.

The Theory of Move Type Transforming.

Lance remembered reading about it. A theory proposed by the young Professor Kukui of Alola, a man who specialised in researching Pokemon moves, it speaks of how many type moves are very similar to each other, such as Shadow Punch, Mega Punch, Thunderpunch, and suggests that these moves can be used interchangeably if applied correctly. It was a fresh theory, but there wasn't much support from fellow researchers when the paper first came out, since Kukui himself had only entered the research field for a few months and did not have much prestige. True, the man himself was a formidable trainer and pro wrestler, and Lance could clearly remember the time when Kukui had came to the Indigo League and challenged the Elite Four, just to be defeated by Lance himself.

And if everything sounds and looks like it, Red was trying to transform Tail Whip into Iron Tail.

From Normal to Steel.

Pikachu swung his tail, harder and harder each time, while Gengar winced again and again, feeling the sting in the stat-reducing move. Bit by bit, damage was dealt. Bit by bit, the nature and type of Tail Whip was changing.

"Think of an iron hammer!" Red yelled, perspiration rolling down his forehead as he clenched his fists tight. It had to work. It had to.

Meanwhile, Pikachu gritted his teeth, forcing his tail down once again. He felt tired, his tail muscles sore and painful, almost as if his tail was about to drop off. He just did what he was told, not really thinking twice whether his trainer was thinking straight, but the least he could do now, was to trust Red. That was all he willed himself to imagine a hammer. One with a wooden handle and a dumbbell-shaped lump of metal on it. He was going to swing a hammer. The strongest and hardest hammer in the world at Gengar.

His tail went heavier than ever, and he instantly felt the weight, dropping his tail onto his foe, and before he knew what was happening, it happened.

A shiny, metallic sheen covered his tail, and it started glowing, flickering with a white light.

Then it hit the Ghost Type Pokemon, like an anchor, right on the head. Pikachu widened his eyes in surprise, finding it almost miraculous that he managed to pull off an Iron Tail without any prior training.

No, wait that was wrong.

He trained. He trained his ass off up on that mountain, and Red had foresee that his body was strong enough to learn new moves easily. His trainer knew, and expected him to be able to do an Iron Tail.

And he did.

Giving a small smile, Pikachu ignored Gengar's cries of pain and swung down his tail, with Iron Tail in full effect. The Ghost Type fell, and as it did, the status monitor snapped back to life, revealing Gengar's HP bar draining away, down to the last bit of red.

Pikachu somersaulted away, landing perfectly on his hind legs, and as he stood up straight, he panted heavily. Mitch announced the usual, and when he counted down to zero, it was like a collective sense of relief and euphoria had enveloped both Red and him. He turned over, gazing at his trainer, the boy himself grinning wildly, red eyes twinkling with excitement. He let out a "pika" in return, and before he knew it, he had ignored all the fatigue that built up inside his system, and jumped into Red's arms, gleefully nudging his trainer's cheeks with his own, sparks of electricity tingling the boy. Red squeezed his Pokemon tighter than ever. Gengar laid sprawled on the ground, defeated, as it's Mega-Evolution form dissipated away like mist. Morty clicked the button of his Pokemon's pokeball, and the Ghost Type instantly distorted into a red flash of light that returned to the small red-white ball.

It didn't take long for squeals and yells of disbelief to emerge from the witnesses, Mitch looking almost dead with surprise, Chuck' jaw almost dropping to the ground, Jasmine and Whitney simply stunned, while Lance whispered, "Impossible."

They had actually done it.

Move Type Transforming.

A grin was instantly formed on the Dragon Master's face. He suddenly thought off Kukui, the man facing against him during the League Championships nearly 8 years ago. He wondered how he would have reacted, when his theory was actually proven right, inside the Goldenrod City Gym.

Morty let out a satisfied laugh, as he raised his arms up in surrender.

"I lost. I forfeit the match."

"S-Sir?" Mitch called out, the man looking more surprised than ever. "What did you just say?"

"I forfeit. Red wins by default."

"But sir," Mitch objected. "You can't just-"

"Oh, don't sweat the little details, Mitch." Morty sighed, and before Mitch could protest, the Gym Leader was walking over to Red, who was still hugging his Pikachu, the picture of the trainer and Pokemon together looking almost innocent and cute.

"Here's your badge," he said, as he extended his palm out, the shiny Fog Badge resting in the middle of it. Red widened his eyes, as he looked down at the badge, then at Morty. Pikachu clambered out of his trainer's arms, perching on his shoulders, nose twitching as he gazed at Morty curiously.

"We're not battling anymore?" Red said, looking disappointed.

"Why? You still want to?" Morty chuckled. "Not today, kid."

"But-"

"Oh, come on, this is how I do things." Morty grinned as he grabbed Red's hand and placed the badge into it. "Relax, there's always a next time for everything."

Morty then tilted his head up, before he realized how mesmerizing it was to look at the Undefeated Champion's eyes up close. It was truly beautiful, if not in a creepy and mysterious way.

Red eyes.

Neo.

There was this strange chill creeping up on his back, a gut feeling telling him that there was something big going to happen. Perhaps it was a premonition.

But he never gets any premonitions. Not usually. It was Sei's job to tell him if anything bad was about to happen. Now, he supposed he should talk to the queer ghost soon, considering it has been ages since he called him out.

Meanwhile, Mitch announced Red's victory, albeit in a reluctant and confused manner.

As he walked out of the arena, he found Whitney charging straight towards him like her Miltank.

"You lazy idiot! You could have won! Against Red!" Whitney yelled.

"I'm not an idiot, pink," he said jadedly. "I guess Sei was right. Humans are fixated on the most trivial things."

"What did ya say?"

"Nothing. Just talking to myself." Morty smiled mysteriously.

"But I have to agree," a rumbling voice called out. Morty gazed to his left, just to see Chuck and the other two coming over. Chuck then continued, "It was within your capabilities, Morty."

"... Quite a waste..." Jasmine joined in the conversation ruefully.

"But that's how you do things, no?" Lance interjected.

"Glad that you know that, Dragon Master," Morty said, and he pointed towards Whitney. "And I thought you weren't going to cheer for me?

"Of course I was, you colossal idiot!" Whitney stamped her foot angrily. "Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiotic Ryota!"

The Ghost-type Gym Leader let out a suppressed laugh, holding it in, before he flicked Whitney's large forehead.

"Hey!"

"Work on your vocabulary, Akane." He laughed as he sauntered towards the exit of the gym. "I'm going out to chill, so tell me what happened when I get back."

And he left.

"Well, that's that." Chuck shrugged as he plodded back, with Lance chuckling and following behind.

Jasmine turned over to Whitney, before she quickly whispered into the pink-head's ear.

"You're blushing, Whitney."

"No I'm not!" she immediately answered as she covered her cheeks. "Y-You should go and prepare for your battle."

Jasmine smiled good-naturedly, and nodding gently, she headed off into the arena.

The brunette stood opposite of Red, nodding her head towards him as a form of greeting, and the trainer nodded back politely, his Pikachu leaping away from the boy's shoulders, four paws on the ground, his stance that of a battle-ready warrior.

"... I assume that you're done healing up your Pokemon?" she said.

"Yes."

"Including Charizard?"

Red faltered. "Yes... but why?" he asked.

"Oh." Jasmine gasped. "It's just that... I specialise in a type that is weak against fire... It has been a strange habit of mine to give friendly tips to trainers before every battle. I guess that's my nature. "She smiled softly, as she continued. "I'm Jasmine, Olivine City's Gym Leader... And I specialize in Steel Type Pokemon."

"Shall we begin?"

* * *

 _"Sei."_

 _The blonde turned around, seeing his friend walking over, his black hair tousled about by the wind. The man raised a hand to block the wind, but to no avail. In the end, he gave up, leaving the mess alone, letting the wind play with it. As he got closer, Sei held his breath. No matter how many times he sees it, it was always breath-taking._

 _His red eyes._

 _"Ora, ora, isn't it Neo?"_

* * *

 **This chapter wouldn't have been perfected without the help of SelfiesWithSprinkles, who is a beast of a beta-reader, who pretty much helped me with the proof-reading, as well as LeMrrpingSaladin, and both of them gave me lots of pointers! Looking forward to working with them, and you'll get cleaner writing too :))**

 **Do R &R and tell me your thoughts on this chapter :)**


	20. Chapter 20: Burn and Bleed

**Ciao to all! After long days of barely scrapping by the cold, hard days of Junior College, I finally picked up my phone and started typing like a dead person (which just translates how slow I was at writing this Chapter) And before I start babbling again, let me just express how much this story means to me and how your little reviews brightened up my day! Thank you all so, so, so much!**

 **Much love to SelfiesWithSprinkles for beta-ing this chapter! :)**

 **And without further ado, presenting to you...**

* * *

Burn and Bleed

He angled himself properly, and steadily, his feet scraped against the ground as he traversed down the slope. As he landed on the ground, the dead leaves let out a crisp noise, and he flinched a little in response before letting out a sigh, and proceeded to continue on with his search.

A day had passed after the Conference, and the moment he reached home, the first thing he had to do was to venture into the dense forest. As one with the title and strength of a Gym Leader, he supposed this was what he had to do in return. Tasked with finding a baby Geodude that had ran off into the woods, he wasted no time to come in here, equipped with his Poké Balls. He supposed he should not disappoint the sweet boy who had politely asked him for his help.

He weaved through the forest path cautiously, alert, as he tried to sense where the Geodude had ran off to. He had heard from the little boy, the Geodude's owner, that the rock-type was a hyperactive one, and didn't listen to anyone easily.

He had almost scoffed at the "doesn't listen to anyone" part. He was Brock, the Pewter City's Gym Leader. He specialized in rock-types.

But he was aware that was no reason for him to let down his guard.

Hearing a noise, he swiftly turned his head around, finding a grey, rough, and unassuming rock peeking out from the bushes. He blinked furiously in surprise. Who would have thought he would encounter the lost Geodude so quickly?

He headed for the Pokemon, until it jumped out suddenly. He yelped, and the Geodude growled in shock. The round rocky creature then hopped excitedly, before it turned around and skipped off.

"Hey, wait!"

Brock tore off after the nimble Pokemon, brushing past the numerous vegetation. A few branches bite at him, tearing his orange sweater slightly, but he ignored the stings as he raced after the excited little Geodude.

Yet, unable to catch up, Brock eventually lost sight of the Pokemon. He huffed, feeling rather irritated, and scratching his scalp, he looked around, hoping to catch another glimpse of the rocky Pokemon.

A cry.

The Gym Leader hurriedly went in the direction of the Geodude's cry. For Arceus' sake, please don't let the little rascal escape.

A cry came out again.

Brock halted in his steps. The cry came out high-pitched, distressed and was not the Geodude. It was not the low, grumbling, kind of voice he was used to hearing.

"Onix!"

His Pokémon emerged from its Poké Ball, tall, daunting, as its snake-like body landed onto the ground, squashing the growth beneath. It growled, prompting its trainer to speak of his command.

"We have someone in need of help," Brock said, before he ran towards where the cry came from, and with a slight nod, Onix slithered after his trainer, keeping close to him.

Parting the branches, Brock was about to charge straight forward, until something bumped into him. He stopped in the instant, and the world went quiet the moment he saw a sea of blue.

When he remembered to breathe, he realized who had bumped into him, and where the cry came from. The person before him was sat on the ground; the collision had made her lost her balance.

Before him, a young girl gazed at him, her marine blue eyes wide open, blood-shot. Her outfit was of a sleeveless plain white dress, smudges of dirt tainting the cloth, while her long, messy, golden-locks were all in a bunch as it laid on the ground, under the sunlight, glowing. Leaves were scattered messily over her hair, while her pale hands were roughed up. Her face was pale with a disturbing sense of fear written all over it. Her lips were bluish, dry and cracked, while a frown unfitting of her young appearance sat on her brows. But what really struck Brock, was another thing.

Her eyes.

So beautiful, yet it was drowned in kind of primal fear, distraught and utter terror swimming within. Her whole body shook with trepidation, her toes curled up in anxiety. Then he noticed the bandages covering her arms and legs.

"I'm sorry!" he said. "Did I hurt you...?"

But then she let out a stifled gasp, seemingly realizing that Brock was not anyone harmful. She nervously looked around left, right and behind her, her neck moving at such a speed that Brock thought she could twist her neck loose. She didn't seem to relax in anyway however, as she desperately stood up and grasped Brock shirt, pulling it like it was a kind of lifeline.

"H-Help," she said shakily, her soft, pretty voice all jittery and cracking.

"Hey, hey," Brock said as he firmly placed his hands on her forearms in an attempt to assure her. But it was visibly of no use, as she became more terrified, of something, someone.

"P-P-Please, help!" she pleaded. "He's..." She turned back again, her hand shaking more vigorously by the second. She suddenly went still, and so did Brock, when he realized someone was coming up to them.

It was a man. Tall, lanky, with fresh boots worn on his shoes. His outfit looked all too neat, and he looked fairly out of place in the forest. He wore a mask that only revealed eyes that were black, beady and as Brock gazed into them, it was as if all the blood was suddenly drained from his body.

Hollow. So very hollow.

The man walked even closer, and the girl held onto him even tighter than before. Brock stared at the man, trying to discern his facial expression, but the mask was obstructing his view.

"I apologize for my niece's actions, young man. She runs around a lot," he said politely, bowing just slightly towards Brock. "She must have troubled you."

"...No," Brock replied warily. "There was no trouble."

"Is that so," the man said. His tone was so flat, no emotions sensed within his words. Onix let out an apprehensive growl, tense and in battle-ready mode. The man was calm, and seemed to ignore the fearsome Pokemon.

"My dear child, shall we go home?" the man said as he moved one step closer to Brock and the girl.

Brock felt the girl's fingers digging into his chest. He looked down at her, just to see her blue eyes leaking out tears. The frown sat heavier onto her brows, and her fists trembled harder than ever.

"Please... don't go…," she whispered, her voice on the verge of breakage. At that very moment, the Pewter Gym Leader realized something, and knew what he had to do.

Gritting his teeth, Brock looked up at the man.

"I'm sorry, sir. Your niece appears to be frightened by something."

"It's because it's her first time in the forest," the man answered immediately, his tone still emotionless.

"A little girl, like this, shaking and frightened till such an extent?" Brock questioned. "This doesn't seem to be caused by just being in a new place."

"It's normal."

"It's not."

The man stood still for a few moments, before he let out a sigh.

"I suppose I have no choice."

Onix growled, arching higher and higher, letting out a piercing glare at the man. The man took no notice of the Pokemon, and instead lifted his gloved left hand, while his right slowly tugged at the elastic cloth, appearing to remove the glove slowly.

Suddenly, Brock felt his chest tightening, while Onix cowered back, almost retreating back into the trees. Then he heard the faint voice of the girl, each word clear as day. She released her grip on him, and turned around, still shaking, but definitely defeated.

The girl then ran. Her golden locks trailing behind her.

"Huh...?!" Brock gasped, when he realized the girl was now next to the man, quiet and unmoving.

"Oh, done with your tantrum?" the man remarked, before he looked up at Brock. "Well then, I thank you, young man."

"W-Wait...! Why…," Brock called out, but his legs refused to move, as if they were bound to the ground with steel wires. The girl and the man soon disappeared into the darkness, and all of a sudden, everywhere around him was infinitely silent. He turned around, just to see Onix all bundled up in fright.

Killer intent.

That was all the man had.

An ancient lust for blood, merciless, spine-chilling.

And both Onix and him were rendered immobile, shaken. The Pewter City Gym Leader dropped to the ground, gasping, as he pulled at his hair, furious at himself, full of guilt that he was unable to help the girl.

The girl.

Takeshi Brock then remembered the words she had said seconds before she loosened her grip on his orange sweater.

 _"Zero will come."_

* * *

"Up," Red commanded.

Charizard obeyed, while the gigantic creature attempted to inflict some damage by snapping its jaws at him, but the draconian Pokémon swerved, dodging his opponent's attack. He winced, hearing a slight crack at his ribs. Even with a Max Revive, he was undeniably feeling the pain from the fracture given by Miltank.

But he knew that he was needed. Against Steel Types, he was Red's best card. After neatly demolishing Jasmine's Magneton and Skarmory, all that was left was the Gym Leader's strongest Pokémon.

Steelix.

It was the first time both trainer and Pokémon had witnessed the evolution of Onix. Reminiscing the time when they fought with much difficulty against Brock's Onix due to the type disadvantage given upon them, both knew better than to underestimate the serpentine species. Even if Fire was good against Steel, they had to remain alert towards the Iron Snake Pokémon. And this time, Steelix was clearly Jasmine's best card, considering how its level towered over the other Pokémon in her team.

For the past minute, there was little sign of aggression from Jasmine and her Pokémon. Tension lingered in the air, as both sides waited for the other to unleash their attacks.

"... Dig," Jasmine said, her voice soft.

With a roaring rumble, Steelix dove down into the ground. Charizard positioned himself, keeping a lookout to where his opponent will pop out from. Ground type moves were difficult to deal with, and the Fire type was well aware of that.

The ground rumbled again, and the moment Steelix emerged, Red wasted to no time to tell Charizard to fire a Flamethrower.

Despite the heavy frame of Steelix, the Pokémon was incredibly swift in digging yet another hole and diving into it. The blast of fire missed its target, and Charizard grumbled, as he waited with bated breath for his opponent to emerge. His ribs stung again, but the Fire type quickly ignored the pain.

Yet, everytime Steelix emerged, it would quickly dive back into the ground, and nearly all of Charizard's Flamethrowers never hit his opponent. By now, numerous holes adorned the battleground, and suddenly Steelix emerged, expertly doing a Rock Throw towards Charizard, who barely managed to dodge it. Red frowned, rather irritated at himself when he finally noticed where the battle was heading to. The subtlety of Jasmine's directions threw the trainer off the smell of what she was up to. So simple and quiet, and he almost never noticed.

Until now.

A game of Whack-A-Mole.

And Red could think of more than three ways to counter the situation. But before he could shout out his command, a bright flash of blue light came out from one of the holes, followed by another, until there were pillars of light popping out one by one. Red directed Charizard to circle round the light pillars, and motioned for his Pokemon to wait for the time to strike. Blinded by the blue light, Red doubted he could ever expect Jasmine's next move.

It came rather unpredictably, when a beam of light was shot diagonally from one end of the platform, hitting Charizard fully. The draconian Pokémon suffered slight damage, and he noticed the uncomfortable feeling of having his Special Defense lowered, while Red deduced what move Jasmine had used.

Flash Cannon.

Steelix disappeared once again, and followed after, the light pillars shone with a higher intensity of blue. Clearly, Jasmine had directed her Steelix to use Flash Cannon in underground tunnels.

It was a smart way of taking the upper hand in the battle.

Hide. Ambush.

Red had seen such a battle tactic used by other trainers before. It was taught in some trainer schools as form of high-leveled battling strategy, but he had hardly seen anyone pull this off so remarkably.

He gazed at his Charizard, who stared back at him with resolution.

A twang of guilt hit his heart. He knew he lied to his Pokémon. He knew he should admit it to Aki. And he will.

Just... not now.

Clenching his fists, Red then yelled, "Flame Burst."

Fire exploded from Charizard, and the fire rained down onto the platform.

"Flamethrower."

Meanwhile, hearing her opponent's battle commands, Jasmine stiffened a little. The fire was now pelting towards the ground, and the platform a sea of fire. She smiled gently, somehow expecting this to come.

With the blanket of fire over Steelix's tunnels, it was impossible for it to emerge without getting getting high damage from the fire. The fire danced, while Lance, Chuck and Whitney watched with knowing looks. Mitch, on the other hand, was just gaping like an idiot.

Whitney waited. This was her only choice. If Steelix emerged, it will most definitely get burnt, and Red could easily use that chance to fire a finishing blow on the Steel Type.

Unless...

The fire stayed, undying.

Five minutes.

Eight.

Eleven.

There was absolutely no sign of Charizard's fire disappearing.

Lance suddenly let out a laugh, while Mitch looked at the Dragon Master quizzically.

"This," he said, almost joyfully, "is way longer than what he could accomplish during the League Championships."

Mitch gasped, suddenly reminded of the events that happened during the League Championship four years ago. Other than creating a slew of One-Hit KOs, Red had won against Lance's Kingdra by enveloping it in fire for three minutes straight, damaging it consistently. It had made the news, and Red's Charizard was from then on considered to be one of the strongest ones of its species ever. It was difficult for most fire-types to maintain their flames from a distance without any ready fuel, and considering that Red's Charizard had accomplish this, against a Water/Dragon type no less, it was no wonder that the feat itself was marveled upon.

And this time, it was exceeding eleven minutes.

Plus, Red had conveniently converted the game of Whack-A-Mole, into a game of waiting. The tables were turned against here with just two moves, and they could only silently marvel and awe at the ex-Champion.

Jasmine pursed her lips, as she fingered something in her left pocket. She contemplated for a few seconds, as she weighed the pros and cons of using it.

They could wait. Steelix could. She could. It was within their capacity. Although the battle would be at a stalemate if they did.

Yet she wanted to try, to try out the thing that she and Steelix had been training for months. Whether this was a perfect opportunity or not, she didn't know. Her shy self had been debating inside her head on whether to accept or decline Falkner's invitation, but now she was glad she had accepted. She was almost relieved, that she had came to Goldenrod.

Her thumb rubbed against the smooth orb in her pocket, and without anyone noticing, the Key Stone glowed.

 _Please let this work,_ she prayed.

All of a sudden, iridescent light exploded from the holes, and the ground cracked, the fire sinking down, and Charizard growled angrily, thrashing his tail as he flew around in obvious fury. His instincts kicked in, and he circled around the platform, his blue eyes observing the ground closely.

And without Red or Charizard realizing, the draconian Pokémon's tail burned blue, a hint of red coloring his blue eyes. A jet-black color enveloping the orange.

The platform exploded, into bits and pieces as Steelix appeared, glorious and far more intimidating than before. Its body became longer, almost doubled in weight, and its once red eyes was blue, while its lower jaw was more heavily armored with a round, curved shape. A third pair of ridges had appeared on its bottom jaw, as well as two sharp, flat structures consisting of three conjoined projections on each side. The gray, rock-like spikes and its tail point have transformed into prism-like crystalline spikes; the segments from which the spikes protruded were much larger as well. Metallic-looking scraps constantly rotated around its neck, in an ordered manner as it moved incredibly slowly.

Jasmine let out a yelp. She did it! And in battle conditions, too!

Mega Steelix.

Clapping her hands over her mouth, she let out a squeal of delight, heard only by herself, as she witnessed her Pokémon, in all its glory, as a Mega.

"Well, well, well," Chuck said with obvious surprise written on his face. "I never would have expected little Jasmine to be able to mega-evolve her Steelix! What's with all the youngsters these days?" He furrowed his brow as he rubbed against his bristly moustache. "I feel old."

"You are old, Chuck," Lance commented lightly, as he gazed at Jasmine, the young woman's face radiating with joy. "This must be the first time she managed to pull it off in battle, just look at her!"

Meanwhile, Mitch was just dazed, pale with shock, and possibly mind-blown.

Whitney wiped a tear, happy for her friend, while at the same time, rather irritated at herself. She supposed she shouldn't slack off any further and get more vigorous training on Mega-Evolution.

Steelix crawled up, glowering at Charizard, who only glared back in return.

"Flamethrower."

Red's voice interrupted everyone's thoughts, and the spectators were back to watching the battle, excitement bubbling in their stomachs.

The blast of fire hit Steelix, nearly enveloping his body. The fiery attack lasted for a minute, and when Charizard finally stopped, Red realized something was wrong. He glanced at Steelix's HP bar, and nearly short-circuited his own brain.

It was nearly zero damage dealt.

He rummaged deep into his pockets, fishing out his Pokédex. Aiming the device's camera towards the Iron Snake Pokémon, he waited for the Pokédex to list down various information on the Pokémon.

Meanwhile, Charizard flew close to the ceiling, while barely avoiding the jaws of Steelix. His opponent elongated length had only spelled worse for himself.

After scanning through the paragraph written on the screen, Red looked up, clearly more shocked than ever, as his hand absent-mindedly put his Pokédex back into his pocket.

 _... The cells within its body, crystallized by the energy produced from Mega Evolution, are stronger than any mineral and able to withstand most temperatures..._

 _... It is capable of chewing through boulders with its powerful jaws, and its eyes are capable of seeing in the dark. Its body is made harder than diamond by the iron it ingests when it eats soil. It is further strengthened by the pressure and heat underground..._

Heat...

Flame Burst.

Flamethrower.

The two moves he used in an attempt to "counter" Whack-A-Mole

For the first time in his life, Red felt like he just dug his own grave.

* * *

"Green, can we battle?" I asked.

"No," he said simply, not even looking up from his DS. We were now in the middle of lazing around in the Elm's living room. Lyra had insisted that we stayed for lunch, while she bounded to the kitchen to help her mother out. Out of courtesy, I stayed, but another part of me was restless, wanting to get out and do something. Anything.

Meanwhile, I had also called Silver, informing him that we would only return after lunch. He had grumbled and insulted me a few more times, before hanging up. Well, it was his own fault for not wanting to join us.

"Can I battle you!" I said again, not intending it to sound like a command.

"No," Green answered. "You're a million years too early to attack me."

"Wasn't it a zillion?" I remarked.

"Yes, a zillion."

"But I'm definitely not a zillion years too early to battle you, am I not?" I countered. "Plus I won against you-"

"Once. So did I," he snapped, his fingers pressing the buttons of his DS, giving out click-clack sounds.

"That's why!" I tried to reason. "It's a draw, so we should battle again!"

"I don't follow your logic, and I don't want to," he muttered. "Shut up and let me play my game."

"Green-" I tried again, until a familiar voice spoke.

"Give it up, Ethan. He's the Textbook Level Expert! You were just lucky the first time!"

I turned my head around, before attempting to retort, "But-"

"Textbook Level Expert," Green interrupted. "Thank you, Lyra. I almost forgot I had that title."

"My pleasure," she chirped as she ran back into the kitchen. I wondered why was she even here for. To lower my confidence? Sounds like something she would do.

"What's that title about?" I asked.

"A title given by some critics," he said blandly, before giving a smirk. "To show how smart I am, unlike a certain Champion who is the Expert of Recklessness."

"Blah." I stuck my tongue out, before I starting rolling on the couch. Green smirked again, looking fairly triumphant.

"What about Red? Does he have 'Expert of Something' title?" I asked, curious.

Green's fingers stopped, the click-clacks ceased, and slowly he looked up at me. He smirked once again, but the smirk was strange and unlike his usual ones.

"He's no Expert," he said. "I'd rather call him something else."

I widened my eyes in incredulity. "What is it?"

"Jack of All Trades."

* * *

Red glanced up at Charizard, his knuckles white from anxiety as he tried to figure out what he should do in this situation. A stronger fire type attack? Or should he use a move to lower Steelix's defense and special defense? Did Charizard even have one? No, he didn't. Red was quite sure of that.

He tried to compose himself, and think. He can't lose his cool here. He was Red, he must never lose his cool.

And he couldn't lose. Aki couldn't lose again.

He went silent.

Meanwhile, Charizard patiently waited for his trainer's commands, as he swiftly escaped the clutches of Steelix again and again. It became sort of rhythmic, and in that short span of time, the draconic Pokémon had already figured out Steelix's and its trainer's habits. A snap to the left, a bite to the right, a rock throw, and the cycle repeats. Jasmine had wanted to try out a Gyro Ball, but Charizard was so high up that she was quite sure the attack will be unable to reach. And little did she know that the opponent had long figured out her battle habits. She knew better than to go underground and play Whack-A-Mole, or else the battle could go on for hours. Steelix's other long-range attack was Dragon Breath, but considering her Pokémon was not adept at using it, she quickly scrapped the idea. As she continued directing Steelix to unleash Rock Throws on Charizard, most missing the draconian Pokémon, with a few grazing him slightly.

"Smokescreen."

In the next fraction of a second, thick black fumes were spewed out of Charizard's mouth, clouds of it hovering everywhere. Jasmine coughed uncontrollably, and so did Lance, Chuck, Whitney and Mitch. The Gym was soon filled with smoke, reducing the visibility of the arena.

Red felt a sharp pain on the back of his right palm. He instinctively grabbed it, ignored it, before he shouted a series a fire-type attacks.

Steelix's cry suddenly rang out, and Jasmine tried to make out what was happening inside. And when her eyes picked out flashes of fire in the middle of it, she could only cover her mouth in shock.

Hide. Ambush.

It was her own strategy being used against her. She shook her head in disbelief, as she prayed for Steelix's safety, even though she knew praying wouldn't help in this situation. Although her Steelix was good at seeing in the dark, it sure wasn't immune towards smoke. The low grumbles went on and on, each stinging Jasmine in the heart. She glanced at the HP bar, which was already down to fifty-five percent.

Red let out a groan, as he felt the pain on the back of his palm intensifying. The pain seared on his skin, and he pressed it down, letting out a cry of pain. No one noticed this however, as all were fixated on the mass of smoke before them.

"Sandstorm!" Jasmine cried out, when she remembered that Steelix was capable of using this move.

Wind howling, sand swirling, the smoke was slowly dispersing, while Red was enduring the heat on the back of his palm. With much difficulty, he removed his fingerless gloves, and to his horror, the Null tattoo on his hand, was glowing a fiery orangey color.

 _Red._ Charizard's all too familiar voice resounded in his mind.

The trainer looked up. It came again. The telepathy.

 _Take control._

He blinked his eyes.

It was another voice. A nostalgic, familiar voice. Yet he couldn't quite grasp who it belonged to.

 _Flare Blitz._ He subconciously said inside his mind.

A burst of blue and orange flames, and Steelix let out a painful cry, and all of a sudden, its HP bar was reduced to twenty-five percent.

Mitch pointed excitedly at the phenomenon happening before them once again. Whitney squealed, grabbing Chuck by the shoulder and shaking so vigorously that the Cianwood Gym Leader went all woozy. Jasmine gasped with fright and awe, as the blue-black Charizard created a wind to counter the Sandstorm easily with his increased wingspan.

Lance switched his focus to Red, and widened his eyes, when he noticed the youth clasping his bare right hand with his gloved left, wincing. Then he noticed the faint orange glow of his hand.

 _What's going on?_

"Charizard Y!" Whitney cried out in alarm. "It just switched to Charizard Y!"

Lance moved his neck so quickly that he felt as if he had nearly sprain it, but he ignored the soreness of his neck muscles as he gazed at the ceiling of the Goldenrod Gym.

And this time, it wasn't some sort of unstable flickering of black and orange. The black and blue had turned to solid orange and turquoise. Red's Charizard soared so swiftly in the air that Lance had trouble following it with his eyes.

"Flare Blitz!" Red screamed, as he collapsed to his knees, as he pressed harder on the tattoo. The heat was getting all over him, hot and burning.

Charizard, albeit confused with what was going on with his body, took a deep breath, and soon his body was engulfed in blue and orange flames.

Steelix's eyes widened, as his foe charged straight from the top, towards him, with insane speed. Unable to react, it stayed so stunned that the impact simply knocked it right at the head.

 _"Boom!"_

A blow of hot wind exploded along with the impact, while all the trainers within the Gym hurriedly blocked themselves.

 _"Boom!"_

The platform split into numerous parts, a concrete block flying towards the spectator stands.

"Look out!" Whitney shouted, until a Protect appeared before them, bouncing the concrete block away harmlessly. The Goldenrod City Gym Leader glanced at the Kingdra standly proudly before them, and upon realizing that it was Lance's, she let out a sigh of relief. But then when she remembered about Jasmine and Red, she frantically look up, searching for their silhoettes.

Jasmine was fortunately defended by yet another Protect, presumably from Kingdra.

And as for Red, she noticed the faint blue layer of Protect, causing her to let out a sigh of wonder at the Dragon Master's reaction speed and quick thinking.

As the dust and flying debris subsided slightly, the platform, which was in bits and pieces, appeared in full view before them. Charizard was standing up, victorious, while a motionless Steelix laid limp in the middle of it. However, Whitney started cringing, as her brain painfully calculated the cost of damages, until she noticed something.

"Three… two… one… zero! It'sCharizard'svictorywithascoreofthreetozeroandRedwins!" Mitch yelled excitedly, not caring that his tongue was all in a jumble. He was still in a sort of mania after all the incredible Mega mumbo-jumbo, until Whitney suddenly called out towards the Dragon Master.

"Lance, Lance! Red...!" She pointed towards one end of the destroyed platform. "He's...!"

Charizard turned his head around, and realizing his Mega-Evolved form was gone, his energy suddenly drained. Then he saw his trainer, collapsed onto the ground, panting, face red with fever. With whatever was left inside of him, he headed towards Red, but before he could reach him, his thighs slacked and the fire-type tripped over.

The Pokémon moaned, groaned, called out for his trainer, whose eyes were barely open.

And at the same time, both trainer and Pokémon lost conscious.

"Red!" Lance yelled as he ran to the young boy. He went down on his knees, about to check his pulse, until he spotted the tattoo on Red's hand.

His eyes widened, when he saw the Null sign flickering, and the orange light died down the next second.

"What happened?" Chuck roared as he, Mitch and Jasmine rushed to his side. Whitney had left to find Morty. Lance hurriedly slipped Red's gloves back on, preventing any of them from seeing the sign.

"I don't know," Lance breathed, as he picked up Charizard's Pokéball, and returned the draconian Pokémon back to the contraption. "He's feverish."

"Whatdowedonow?" Mitch said, confused as he blabbered nervously. "Dowegotoahospital?"

Lance sighed.

"No."

"Huh.. !?" Chuck exclaimed. "But-"

"Let him rest at the Leader's quarters. Chuck, you'll carry him to the room, and then you and Whitney go to the Pokemon Centre to heal his Charizard. Plus his Pikachu. Jasmine and Mitch, take care of Red."

"What about you and Morty?" Whitney asked.

"Morty will go with me to find someone who knows how to help," Lance said simply.

"And that is?"

Morty walked in at the door, looking slightly out of breath. Whitney appeared next to him, equally lethargic. Lance frowned, as he said,

"Yūki Brendan."

* * *

"Now, now, my dear High Priestess," his voice slurred. "Stay still."

The girl screamed, writhing around, as the man's strong arms attempted to hold her still, and when the needle is inserted at her arm, she went quiet, tears streaming down her cheeks. The blood steadily filled up the syringe, as the man's lips widened. She sobbed, and lets out a muffled cry, as the syringe was removed. She shivered uncontrollably, her arms limp and tied to the chair. The injection spot bled, before the wound closed up all by itself. At the same spot, a ''II" tattoo was imprinted on her skin, which glowed pink for a second, before dying down.

"Sire," the butler said softly. "Please do let me take over, being too rough on the girl can-"

"Quiet, Brutus, quiet," the man hissed. "This is what she'll get for trying to run."

The butler went silent.

"Take those and do what you need to," the man ordered coldly, as he inserted yet another syringe into the same spot. The tattoo glowed again in reaction to the injury placed upon the girl, while her screams resounded in the underground room. Meanwhile, Brutus bowed, before he carefully took up the tray with the five syringes filled with blood placed on it, and walked towards the staircase.

As he wended his way down, he heard the cries of the girl once more, but pretended that they weren't heard. The trip down the stairs was slow but weirdly satisfying to Brutus.

And when he finally reached his destination, he promptly headed to the machine, where a gigantic tank holding a green, clear liquid loomed over him. He gazed upwards, into the dead-looking eyes of the Pokémon, who was held limply by the numerous tubes attached to it. The purple orb in its chest glowed faintly, showing the bare signs of life inside of it. Brutus then placed the tray onto the side table, and habitually opened a metal lid, before depositing the girl's blood into the smaller sized machine.

His finger shifted to a button, and gazing up at the Pokémon, he smiled.

"Time for lunch, Deoxys."

* * *

 **Well then, let us just pause all the battling business and move the plot along! Fret not, Red vs Chuck and Red vs Lance will happen in later chapters. ;)**

 **Do review/PM me your thoughts on this chapter! (or any of the previous chapters) I would love to hear from you!**

 **Cheers!**

 **onetimetrip**


	21. Chapter 21: Dazed Haze

Dazed Haze

Muffled noises resounded in the room, as Brendan's fists hit the white punching bag without stopping. Steven sat at his seat quietly, reading one of the books he had taken from Brendan's library, and then occasionally looking at the Champion venting his anger on the punching bag. This has continued from nearly an hour. The proclamation letter must have ticked him off very, very badly.

Steven would never have thought that the teenager would have another room adjacent to the office, where more gym equipment could be found, along with a boxing ring, and the punching bag.

"Hahhh!" Brendan shouted, as his fist landed a heavy blow on the bag. He stopped, panting, as sweat dripped down his naked torso. Steven felt himself froze, when he saw Brendan's expression.

It was a silent kind of fury visible in his blue eyes, a kind of profound intelligence that could be seen from his frown. He was thinking.

His friend's expression suddenly soften, as his tense muscles suddenly released all the tension, almost as if he noticed something invisible to Steven. He let out a long breath, and let his arms hang by his sides. After a long while, he finally removed the gloves, and flicked away his perspiration. He then strode over to Steven, who handed the boy his towel. Brendan muttered a lethargic "thanks," and proceeded to wiped himself clean.

"She's here," he uttered while wiping his face, his voice muffled as a result.

"You mean...?" Steven said.

"Haruka," he said, as he smiled. That was quite a contrast from his previous fearsome expression.

"Oh, right," Steven said as he pressed his right fist down on his left palm. "You can sense her when she's near."

"Yup."

Brendan then went to grab his water bottle, and started chugging down big gulps. Gasping after drinking his fill, he took his towel that was draped over his shoulder and wiped himself once again.

"Do you want to go back to the office and wait? I need some time to clean up."

"Sure," Steven replied candidly, and soon after, he had migrated back to his guest seat in the office, with Kyoka swiftly bringing him some snacks. The Secretary was efficient, as always.

Nibbling one of the Lava Cookies, Steven went back to reading the book.

" _Da Vinci's Confession?_ " a familiar feminine voice called out. Steven looked up, and calmly smiled.

"Long time no see, May," he answered.

"Hi, Daigo." The female teenager before him waved her hands, a big goofy grin on her face. Her brown hair was tied up at the top, adorned with a pastel blue ribbon, while her long fringe hanged down from the side. She wore a marine blue dress, her hands decorated with fabric accessories. Clearly, she had just came down from her job as a Pokémon Coordinator. Steven was not all that surprised at how much she has grown, considering that she was all over billboards in the cities he passed by while on the way to Ever Grande. Being the hottest celebrity in Hoenn, it was difficult for Steven to not know how she looked like the past two years.

"You know this book?"

"No, not really. I've seen Brendan reading it a couple of times. He can't stop gushing over how good it is."

"It is a good book, I must admit." Steven nodded his head.

"Oh, Haruka, you're here!" Brendan entered the room, all washed up, with a clean shirt and jeans on him. And he was wearing his beanie, looking rather fresh, as if all trace of his fury from before was washed away.

"Yūki!" May exclaimed, as her green eyes sparkled in delight as she skipped towards the Champion. She then stood there, erect, her fingers interlocked behind her back, as she stared at Brendan happily.

Until her boyfriend suddenly gave her a peck on the cheek.

She blushed furiously, while a pinkish hue colored Brendan's face. "You look pretty," he finally said.

"W-What, I mean... T-Thanks," she said, her voice fading in volume. She was still not used to compliments and affectionate actions from Brendan, even after years of dating.

"Excuse me, Lovers?" Steven's voice broke out. "Tone down the cheesy things for now, shall we?" The man then bit into another Lava Cookie, an amused expression on his face.

Both of them blushed even harder, as Brendan looked away, rubbing his tomato red neck in a sheepish manner, while May hurriedly hid her face with her hands.

The phone on the office desk rang out, disrupting the awkward silence, and Brendan let out a sigh of relief, thankful for the timely interruption that can save him from further embarrassment.

He walked over, picking the call up.

"Hello, Brendan Yūki here."

"Hello, Brendan. Lance her," the voice from the other side of the speaker spoke.

"Lance?"

Steven and May both turned to look at Brendan, surprise written over their faces.

"Is there anything you need?" Brendan replied.

"It's about Red."

Sensing something was wrong, he clenched his fist.

"Did something happened to him?"

"He's The Fool."

"Yes, I'm aware. Green told me."

"But that's not the point."

"What is it?"

"He managed to mega-evolve Charizard. Without a Key stone and a Mega Stone."

"What...!? The Flame Plate?" Brendan gasped, before he glanced over to Steven, who then reached out for the briefcase. Steven rummaged through the briefcase and looked up, shaking his head, indicating that the Flame Plate was indeed not in their possession.

"The Flame Plate isn't found yet, how is it possible?" Brendan replied.

"I don't think he has come into contact with it yet. From what I saw, it seemed to manifest due to his emotions at that time. Charizard's Mega Evolved form was unstable during the battles against Whitney and Jasmine as well," Lance answered. "And I noticed something strange about his tattoo. It's not a Roman numeral, but a null sign."

Brendan went quiet.

"Right now he's unconscious, and feverish. The unexpected power must have drained him out. Do you know anything about this?"

Brendan paused as he tried to think. He took off his beanie, his hand squeezing it into a bunch.

"... No."

"..."

"Relay Red's situation to Green Oak, Hibiki Ethan, and Lyra Elm," Brendan finally said, exasperated.

"Ethan and Lyra... Are they...?" began Lance.

"Yes, they are part of the Major Arcana."

May gasped, looking surprised, before she gazed at Steven, who gave her the confirmation with a nod.

"Do you and May Haruka want to come over as soon as possible?" Lance asked. "I know it is a little early, considering your flight date with the rest of the Hoenn trainers is just two days later."

"It's alright, we will fly over using our Pokemon."

"So, when's the earliest you two can arrive?"

"We can only leave at evening. So probably, at dawn tomorrow."

"Good. I'll fetch the two of you at Route 34, north of Goldenrod. I'll make the proper arrangements and register both of you in the Foreign Visitor Registry as well."

"Thank you."

"One more thing. I have Morty with me right now."

"Morty of the Matsuba bloodline? The Ecruteak City Gym Leader?"

"Yes, would you like to talk to him now?"

"... No. I need the rest present before we can discuss things."

"Alright. Good talk."

"Thanks for informing."

"Glad to be of assistance. Thank you too, Brendan Yūki."

"See you later."

"See you, goodbye."

Hearing the beep that signaled the end of the call, Brendan put down the receiver, letting a tired sigh. His hand ruffled his own hair in frustration, his body and mind tired from both the workout and the emotional stress from the letter from before. And now there's this.

Activation of a card's power without the aid of a plate was unheard of.

The null sign.

The sudden emergence of new cards.

The enigmatic enemy that had transcended through generations of the Major Arcana.

The one who hold the answers to some of his questions, Morty Matsuba.

He knew he expected all these to happen. He had been preparing for them. Just... not all at once.

"Steven, May. Can you... leave me alone for a bit? Please," he suddenly said.

Both Steven and May exchanged glances, with May motioning him to leave and let her stay with the Champion. Steven Stone stood up without a sound, pushing the chair in, grabbed another Lava Cookie and headed for the door. The room went dangerously quiet all of a sudden, with the Champion and the Pokémon Coordinator left within its four walls. May then noticed the sunflower on the windowsill, its vase replaced, the distorted metal clip on his desk. All these little details, and she knew something was wrong with Brendan. She got closer to him, close enough that she could smell his cologne. She placed her hands on his, before she softly called his name.

"Yūki."

His head turned to his right, eyes coming into contact with May's green ones.

"Calm down," her voice said softly.

Brendan then realized he was trembling. Why was he trembling? He didn't know why, but it was a kind of primordial fear that was fighting with a faux bravado inside himself.

"Haruka..." he whispered, as he found his uncontrollable trembling worsening when he spoke her name.

"Shhh." She pulled him into a hug, patting his hair gently. She felt rather lost, considering that it had been a long time since she had seen him looking so distraught, and confused.

"Why do I…," he breathed heavily. "Always remember that nightmare?"

"I won't die that easily, Yūki."

"But..." He sighed, his arms finally relaxing, the trembling lessening. He gently moved her arms, breaking away from the embrace, before he uttered a thanks.

"Don't worry so much. I can protect myself well enough, for your information." She pointed out, a confident grin on her face. "I did managed to fight on par with the Champion of Hoenn, after all."

Brendan let out a chuckle. "Alright, alright," he said, smiling. He then realized his trembling stopped, and he knew that this was none other than the work of his girlfriend.

"I love you," he said endearingly. May felt the heat on her face, before she pouted a little, rather irritated at her heart for fluttering in such a way.

"We aren't Number VI for nothing, you know?" she said.

"Yeah, I know," Brendan replied, before he affectionately ran his hand down her long fringe, kissing her on the lips as he did so.

And on the desk, the metal clip morphed into a shape vaguely similar to that of a heart.

* * *

 _Red._

It's that voice again.

A vast flower field spread out before him, the various colors dotting the landscape. He looked around, as he searched for someone. He ran around frantically, trying to find the origin of that voice.

Then he saw him.

A man, black-haired with a sturdy frame, stood back-facing him in the midst of the flower field. He slowly turned over, and Red could only stand still, as he made eye-contact with eyes of the same color as himself.

Eyes of a deep crimson.

He thought he was looking at himself. An older version of himself. But he knew otherwise.

 _I'm sorry._

Red's eyes widened, as the man turned back, walking off into the distance. The young boy reached his hand out, his legs, as if having a conscience of their own, started moving. He thought he should stop the man, grab him, call him.

But the man only drifted further, his lonely figure unreachable. Red panted, his legs hurting, but he does not stop.

Until a sea of fire broke out the next second, engulfing the man, who did not stop walking.

"No..." Red muttered, until he felt a strange sensation on his hand. He looked down, only to see himself wielding a ball of fire. He gasped, and looked up, just to see the man gradually disappearing.

"No!" The boy said again, his voice desperate.

"No!" He screamed as he felt his whole body being eaten up by the flames.

"Dad!"

* * *

His breath was suddenly cut off, when his eyes flashed open. His breath came in loud spurts, as he heaved out heavily, feeling his body wet with cold sweat. He shuddered, as he struggled to remember what had happened. The pain on his tattoo. The spontaneous Mega-Evolution of Charizard.

"Red!"

His vision went from blur to clear, and right above him, Green was there, his face looking relieved. Ethan then went into his field of vision, his eyes looking surprised, before he turned over and called out, "Hey, he's awake!"

He shifted his head to the side, just to see that he was in the waiting room of the Goldenrod Gym. Lance, and the other Gym Leaders were leaving their seats, wanting to check up on him. He sat up, and motioned them to not come so close to him. Lance and the Gym Leaders exchanged glances, before they decided to give the boy some breathing space. Meanwhile, Red gave an anxious glance at his palm, wondering if a ball of fire will suddenly appear. He could still feel a chill running down his spine, as he remembered the dream that felt so real that it was almost haunting.

But he saw his father.

"Red, do you know where you are now?" Lance asked, and the trainer shifted his attention back to the Dragon Master.

"... Goldenrod Gym."

"What date is it?" Whitney asked again.

"... 29th."

"How are you feeling?" Morty piped in.

"... Alright, I guess..."

"Do you know who I am?" asked Green.

"Gary Sue."

"Oh, wow, how direct. Trying to be funny, huh," Green said as he smirked. "He's totally fine, as you can all see."

Chuck let out a rumbling laugh, before he gazed at Red. "Jokes are fine, Red. But do know that you were just out for six hours."

Red gulped. Six hours?

"Geez. Stop making us worry so much," Green said as he let out a long sigh. "Not like I'm that worried about you in the first place."

"He was screaming your name the moment he entered the Gym," Ethan interjected with a mischievous grin, before he started mimicking Green's tone. "Red! Red! Red!"

"You gigantic idiot! Shut your trap!" Green swerved his head, glaring at the golden-eyed boy.

"Oh, don't be shy," Ethan teased, the boy feeling rather victorious that he is able to make Green look so flustered. This was the first time he managed to pick on one of Green's weakness, and the taste of it felt other-worldly and amazing.

Until Lyra punched him at the side, causing the boy to roll over. He glared daggers at the girl, but could only mumble incoherent complaints as he sat down on one of the cushions against the wall. Red only stared, and observed his surroundings, just to see the Gym Leaders, along with Lance and a too-high Mitch who was currently stoning in one corner, since it was the first time he got so close to so many celebrities all at once. And oddly, there was a boy, wearing a clown wig and sunglasses standing in another corner of the room?

"Hi, Red," the brown-haired girl greeted, while Red himself gave her an awkward hello in return.

"... Who is that over there?" he inquired, as he pointed at the boy with the clown wig curiously. The boy flinched visibly, as he nervously shifted his sunglasses and leaned in closer to the wall, as if trying to blend in with the wall but to no avail. The clown wig was just too amusing to look at.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Lyra admitted. "Ethan and Oak-san told me he was a friend of a sort. He does have some weird tastes in fashion, I must say."

The boy with the clown wig looked visibly irritated, perhaps insulted, but said nothing in response.

"But he does remind me of someone," Lyra suddenly said, and the boy was now frozen, his face a stark white. She continued to study the boy, before she vaguely lost interest and started talking to Ethan. Lance on the other hand, said that he had to make a call, while Jasmine went out to buy dinner for everyone, with Whitney tagging along to help her carry the food. Meanwhile, a dizzy Mitch swung out of the waiting room, deciding that he should go back to reality and check up on the Gym. There were still some things left to clean up after those fearsome battles.

"... Are we still battling?" Red asked.

"What!?" The remaining people around him exclaimed in unison.

"You do know that you just fainted for some unknown reasons and was unconscious for six hours straight, right?" Chuck scolded.

"You need to learn when to relax," Morty said, eyes half-lidded lazily. "Just take a break for the rest of the day, kid."

"Me, me! I don't mind! Battle me!" Ethan said as he enthusiastically raised his arms, jumping around in glee.

"Shut up, Ethan," Lyra said as she covered the boy's mouth, until she realized that the clown boy was now right beside her, his left arm raised up, clearly wanting to engage in a battle with Red.

"Hey, don't join in for Arceus' sake! We don't even know your name!" she shouted at the boy, who flinched, and reluctantly put his hand down and shuffled back to his little dark corner. Meanwhile, Morty, Lyra and Chuck started tackling the hyperactive Ethan, who was desperately trying to get to Red and ask him for a battle.

"Battling is all you can think, huh," Green's neutral voice spoke, before he leaned in closer and said softly, "By the way, I made sure that your mum doesn't know about this."

Red looked at his friend, and quickly whispered a barely audible thank you to him. Green merely waved him away, as he continued to view the hilarious spectacle of the struggling Ethan being body slammed by Chuck.

"Stay still!"

"No! Fight me, Red!" the boy screamed as he flailed his hands around. Both Red and Green let out a snort, before both boys started laughing together.

 _Perhaps it isn't that bad to separate myself from battles occasionally,_ thought the red-eyed teen.

* * *

It was night.

After eating a sumptuous dinner consisting of pizza and spaghetti, Chuck and Jasmine had left for their own Gyms, Mitch and Whitney closing the Gym for the night and get an early night's rest. The clown boy had excused himself, seemingly disappearing without anyone noticing. Meanwhile, Lyra, Green, Ethan, Morty and himself were told by Lance to stay the same posh hotel Red had rested in the previous night. Lance has kindly booked the rooms for them, and offered to pay for their night's stay, but each of them insisted to pay for their own rooms. Currently, the rooming arrangements were as such:

Red rooming with Green. Ethan rooming with Morty. While Lance and Lyra were staying in single rooms.

Lance did not really tell them why they had to stay; he only mentioned that there were two people that wished to meet them tomorrow early in the morning, before he disappeared off to Arceus knows where. Ethan and Lyra seemed rather hyped about going around the largest city in Johto, and had rushed off to shop around, with Ethan not forgetting to put on a pair of sunglasses and a surgical mask to hide a large part of his face. Morty only yawned, and closed his hotel door, wanting to get an early night's out. Red thought that it was rather odd, considering that Morty was a Ghost Type Trainer, and there was this perception that trainers that deal with Ghost Types are able to stay awake for long hours. Maybe it did not apply that much to the carefree Morty.

As for Green and Red, both agreed to take a walk through the city, before moving to Route 34 to have a nice talk, for old times' sake.

The streets in the Goldenrod City was bustling as ever, as the two trainers walked side-by-side down the pavements. Considering the crowd as compared to the morning, Red initially wanted to wear his cloak, but Green scrunched his nose in disgust, commenting on his friend's poor sense of fashion and practicality, before he slapped on a pair of sunglasses on his friend and removed his cap. Adding his plain top and pants, the boy was virtually impossible to recognize. Red himself felt rather dumb, considering he could have all along used this disguise instead of a freaking black cloak that made him look like some sort of terrorist. Meanwhile, Green used Red's cap to cover his spiky hair, and only after much force of pushing the cap down, did his hair finally flattened down. Pikachu, on the other hand, starting squeaking, clearly mocking the Green's appearance.

"... That cap doesn't suit you at all," Red lightly commented with an amused expression.

"Shut up! I know," Green said irritably, before he let out a huff.

No one really paid any heed to them. Everyone else was far too busy, or engrossed in their devices, to cast them a second glance. Red noticed that everything felt more tense than usual. There's this ambiguity lingering in the air, and he thought he saw more worried faces than the night day before. He slowly picked up the little words between people's conversation, and bit by bit, he understood what had swept Goldenrod into a frenzy.

The War against Deoxys.

It was no wonder, actually. When a place has experienced peace for decades, a slight disturbance could send everything into chaos. The rowdiness both him and Lance noticed in the morning was just the beginning. And even now, he knew somewhere in everyone's minds, fear was eating them up. Slowly but surely.

And he will be a part of the tripartite alliance between Kanto, Johto and Hoenn. He will be fighting at the front lines.

It sounded frightening. This was war they were talking about.

"Don't pay too much attention."

Red glanced at his friend, who only had that calm, nothing could ever faze him, expression. He felt almost jealous. How does one remain this calm in the face of imminent danger?

It did not take long for them to escape the hectic city, as they found themselves in Route 34. The place was deathly quiet, no one was around. Except for the daycare center that was in operation twenty-four-seven. Both trainers took off their accessories, with Red snatching his cap away from Green, before he started laughing at how silly Green's hair looked like. In response, his friend elbowed him.

"... You're a villain." Red said, face putting a fake expression of pain. It did not hurt that much, really.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu squeaked in agreement.

"What? I don't tolerate any insults to my hair, thank you."

"... You never change, do you?"

Green glared at his friend. "I admit, I was rather mean in the past-"

"Rather mean?" Red interrupted.

Green gulped, before he looked away and continued, "Mean. I was mean, alright. But I changed, okay?"

"... For the better or the worse?"

"The better!" the Viridian City Gym Leader barked. "And don't look so disappointed!"

Red let out a laugh, while Green shot him a look. He immediately raised his arms in surrender, before Green hit him in the stomach, and both started laughing. Pikachu leaped off Red's shoulders, softly landing on the grass. When both trainers finally stopped laughing, they gave each other knowing looks.

"Shall we battle?" Green smirked.

"... You do know I just fainted for some unknown reasons and was unconscious for six hours straight, right?"

"Not like you give a damn about that," Green said blandly. "Let's get on with it."

Red retrieved Charizard's Pokéball. Now that he thought about it, he still had to tell Aki the truth. The truth that they had lost against Whitney. As the battles played out in his mind, he gripped the Pokéball tighter, his eyes hiding a determined gaze.

"... Next time."

Meanwhile, Green, who was already getting ready, looked up in surprise. A wind howled past the two, the clouds clearing up, and Green could see Red as clear as day. After one look at those crimson eyes, the Viridian City Gym Leader simply smirked. He then kept his Pokéball, and walked over to his rival. As he passed him by, Green Oak firmly patted Red's shoulders, before he strode towards the entrance of Goldenrod City.

Unbeknownst to both trainers, Red's null tattoo glowed a deep orange, bordering crimson, while Green's I tattoo glowed a marine blue.

"So, are you training now?" Green asked as he turned over. His rival, back-facing him, nodded. Green Oak grinned, before he stuffed his hands into his jean pockets.

"Don't make me wait too long."

"... Yeah."

The wind continued to blow, seemingly never-stopping. Suddenly, Green stopped in his tracks, seemingly reminded that he had to do something.

"Oh, right. Red, lend me your cap. As a disguise."

* * *

"... Flamethrower!"

"... Flame Burst!"

"... Fire Spin!"

With a fearsome growl, the draconic Pokemon's chest puffed out, and soon he spewed out a long stream of fire, followed by an array of flame attacks, its light illuminating the darkness around them. Charizard thought that something was wrong, because Red seemed almost sorrowful. Maybe because it was night. Maybe because he was tired. Maybe that was why he looked almost as if he was about to cry anytime.

And he did.

"Aki…," he suddenly called out, and Charizard turned around, just to see his tears running down his face in long streams. The Flame Pokemon anxiously looked at Red, who was desperately wiping away his tears. It'd been a while since his trainer had called his nickname, and it felt strange. All sorts of warm memories flooded him, and the humongous Pokemon sat down next to his trainer, warm blue eyes gazing at his trainer affectionately. Charizard nudged his trainer with his muzzle, prompting Red to look up.

"... I lied."

Charizard froze on the spot, wondering what in Arceus was wrong.

"... Aki, we lost."

His jaws went slack with surprise, shock and confusion.

"... We did not win against Miltank."

His expression softened. Charizard softly rubbed his muzzle against Red's cheek, who chuckled a little in between tears, before the boy stiffened, and then grabbing Charizard's muzzle, he stared at his blue eyes intently.

"... You're... not mad?"

The draconic Pokemon let out low growling noises, as if he was laughing. Charizard wondered why he laughed. Perhaps because how absurd the whole situation was. Perhaps it was because his trainer was so silly, worrying and crying and something like this. Perhaps because he was trying to hide the bitterness behind the loss.

"Gyaooo…," Charizard merely growled in agreement, as he breathed a little hot air into Red's face. How could he be mad?

"Heh," Red chuckled, before the red-eyed teen leaned in closer, his previously tense shoulders seemingly relaxing out of relief. His trainer stroked his neck in the most comfortable spot, and Charizard sighed contently. Nostalgia swept over him, when he found the situation oddly similar to the first time they suffered a loss against another trainer, and Red had started crying like this, before they found comfort in each other.

In the end, to him, he was still Red. The little trainer that need a push and confirmation every now and then. The trainer, that in the end, beneath that red-eyed facade, was still a human. The trainer, that in the end, no matter how many lies he say, will always be his trainer.

To Red, he was Aki.

And to Aki, he was Red.

* * *

Lance Wataru gazed up at the hazy skies of Route 34 expectantly. The sun was rising, breaking through the clouds in a blur of red, orange and pink. The Route was quiet, albeit a few scorch marks decorating the ground, in which Lance quickly deduced that it was Red who did the damage. He only sighed and smiled, as he continued to wait for the two who were going to arrive anytime now.

Two loud Pokémon cries resounded, as daybreak exploded, the light shining down onto Route 34. A strong gust of wind blew at Lance, but the Dragon Master paid no heed as he witnessed Latios and Latias swiftly coming down to land. Two of the fastest Flying Pokémon in existence, it was no wonder that those two had chose them as their mode of transport. The Eon Duo's speed was fast enough that people from down below won't even be able to cast a second look at them.

"Welcome to Johto," he shouted, as the two riders dismounted from the two legendary Pokémon.

"Brendan Yūki Senri and May Haruka Birch."

* * *

 **Major Arcana Character Fact Files:**

 **1\. Number VI, The Lovers: Brendan Yūki and May Haruka**

 **Plate Power: ?**

 **Attack: ?**

 **Special Attack: ?**

 **Speed: ?**

 **Defense: ?**

 **Special Defense: ?**

 **Special traits: They can sense each other when the other half is in vicinity.**


	22. Chapter 22: Aquiver

Aquiver

"Rise and shine!" a perky voice shouted, and poor Morty started grumbling as he flipped over onto his stomach, and pressed the pillow over his head, in an attempt to cover his ears and mute out his noisy roommate's voice.

"Rise and shine! Rise and shine! Rise and shine!" Ethan yelled and he ran around the hotel room, jumping up and down like a monkey. The Ghost Type Gym Leader could never understand how one could have so much energy on such a lazy morning.

It wasn't until a knock at the door, did Ethan finally halted his rowdiness. Morty groaned, as he tried to catch a least a few seconds of extra sleep.

"Ah... Ah... Ah... Ah... " Morty heard the many short gasps from Ethan, and wondering what was wrong. The Gym Leader drowsily removed his pillow and groaned louder than before. Pushing himself up, and giving his blonde hair a little tousle, he lazily left his bed, and he scratched his exposed belly, yawning a little.

"Hmm...?" he mumbled when he noticed Ethan standing before the door, his whole body trembling so much that Morty nearly thought that an earthquake was happening.

"Ah... Ah... Ah…," Ethan's gasps continued, and an irked Morty shuffled over, bare-footed, wearing a plain shirt and shorts he purchased from the Goldenrod Department Store. He stopped in his tracks.

"Ah," Morty uttered, when he saw _them._

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Ethan screamed, before he stopped, swallowed a huge gulp of oxygen, and continued, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Shut up, Ethan!" Morty turned around, as the wall behind the beds shook. Their neighbor, Green, clearly irritated by being awoken in such a crude manner, was now pounding the wall. But Ethan had no sign of calming down, as he continued to scream.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Meanwhile, Green clambered out of his bed, and without caring that his hair was currently in a mess, flattened and not styled, he stomped towards the door, ready to swing it open and seriously knock Ethan out with an punch.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Grabbing the door handle, he pressed the open button next to it, and pushed the wooden door, as he readied his vocal cords.

"Shut the hell-"

Green Oak stopped short, his words momentarily caught in his mouth.

"Ah," Green uttered.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The next second, Lyra burst out from her own room, which was directly opposite theirs, and clearly she was also rudely awoken by Ethan's incessant shouting. She could have hollered at Ethan, but instead she froze.

"Ah," Lyra uttered.

Everyone was at a standstill, as their eyes were all fixated on the people standing before them. Morty, on the other hand, yawned and shuffled back to his bed, completely nonchalant about the situation.

An eternity went on, until Red's tired figure popped out of the door, his red eyes half-closed out of lethargy. The red-eyed trainer groggily moved out, swaying as he found himself seeing everyone out at the corridor (with the exception of Morty). Ethan was still screaming, Green stoning, and Lyra fainting, while Lance stood calmly behind two people he did not recognize.

"... What's going on?" he mumbled, as he tried to make out the features of the two unknown people in front of him. The male was donning a tight fitting red and black shirt, and loose pants that reached his knees. He was tall, muscular, but not too bulky. He had a pair of blue eyes, a white beanie with a red and black band on his head of black hair. The female, on the other hand, was a pretty teenager, and she wore a respectable, simple, red shirt and a pair of beige shorts. Her brown fringe was styled in a way that her fringe was hanging downwards, while a red ribbon was atop her head.

Red tilted his head to the side as he frowned in confusion.

"... Who are you?" he asked.

At that very moment, Ethan, Green and Lyra started choking on their saliva, Lance trying to suppress a laugh, while the two people exchanged awkward smiles. The male then turned back to Red and, chuckling, he extended his hand out and said, "So you must be Red."

Red's eyes blinked, his red eyes widening, when he met the blue eyes of the male teenager before him. He found himself standing straight, as if on guard, and he knew just the reason why.

This person is a strong trainer.

"I'm Red," he said firmly, as he return the male's handshake. The trainer smiled courteously, unfazed by the strong grip given by Red.

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Red. I'm Brendan," he said, before he pointed at the female teenager. "And she's May."

"Hello," Red said, as the two ended the handshake. The red-eyed teenager then noticed Lance trying extremely hard to not laugh. He thought it was pretty hilarious, considering that the Dragon Master wasn't one to laugh so easily. But no, that was not the point. The other three were also gaping at him, as if they were labeling as some sort of idiot.

 _Was it something he had done?_

Brendan let out a small chuckle.

"You really don't know who we are, do you?" he said, an amused expression on his face.

"... No…," Red trailed off as he stared harder at the male. "Have we met somewhere before?"

This time, Lance hurriedly excused himself, perhaps to find a spot to laugh out loud. The female let out a chuckle, a quiet chuckle, but Red still heard her.

"No, no," the male said, as he grinned. "We've never met."

Red glanced at Green, who was now facing the wall, clearly also trying to hide his laughter. What the heck was going on?

"I suppose we should do a re-introduction," Brendan suggested. "May?"

The female walked closer to Red, and smiling, she said, "I'm May Haruka Birch, a Pokemon Coordinator from Hoenn."

"And I," the male said as a confident smile lined his lips, "am the current Champion of Hoenn, Brendan Yūki Senri."

"Ah," Red uttered.

* * *

"Oh, my god, Lyra," Ethan said, eyes wide, his whole body shaking as he shakily placed two pieces of bacon onto his plate. "Oh, my god."

"One hot guy, two hot guys, three hot guys…," the pig-tailed girl droned on, her whole face flushing red, steam coming out from her head, all the while frantically putting large amounts of food onto her plate in a frenzy.

"Calm down, the two of you," Morty said as he stood in between the two of them.

"Oh, my god!" Ethan shouted.

"Four hot guys!" Lyra squealed, as her pig-tails propelled themselves up.

Morty sighed, and then he whispered, "I understand why Lyra-chan is so excited, but Ethan, you're the Johto Champion for Arceus's sake! Get a grip! Learn a little from Red and Green!"

As he said that, he pointed towards the two, who were sitting in a corner in the dining hall, eating their breakfast.

"Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Oh, my god…," Ethan murmured, clearly not hearing whatever Morty was saying.

"Five hot guys. Six hot guys. Seven hot guys..."

Morty sweat-dropped, and gave the two a few pats on their shoulders, before he went off to get his own breakfast from the buffet table. Little did he know, that in the same corner where Red and Green were sitting, the two trainers were each doing their own little sort of chanting. Pikachu, on the other hand, wolfed down his breakfast in a hurry, the food too enticing for him to notice whatever the two trainers were muttering about.

"He came... But why... For what…," Green, who was wearing Red's cap yet again, muttered, before he shoved in a sunny-side-up into his mouth.

"... Brendan... Brendan... Brendan…," Red droned, as if he was trying to imprint that name into his brain. To think that he did not even recognize the name of the Hoenn Champion...

In another corner of the hall, Brendan, May and Lance were sitting together, eating their breakfast in silence. The Dragon Master's face was red from all the laughing from earlier, yet now carrying his usual stoic expression, while Brendan, who was wearing a pair of black contacts and changed out of his trainer attire, had passed his beanie to May, who wore it to cover her iconic hairstyle, along with a pair of shades.

"Fufu." May suddenly laughed, before she clapped her mouth shut. Brendan and Lance looked up at the Pokemon Coordinator, looking surprised.

"Sorry," said May sheepishly. "I can't help it. That boy was so funny."

"He really was hilarious," Brendan said, as he grinned, before his expression went neutral. "You can't blame him, really. How long has he been away again, Lance?"

"Three years, give or take," replied the Dragon Master.

"See, there you have it," Brendan said. "Three years of isolation is enough to make a person numb and unaware of many things."

"Red has always been a little dense at things, and also rather slow at human relationships," Lance commented. "But that doesn't change the fact that he was Kanto's strongest three years ago."

"Was?" Brendan asked, as he placed his fork down onto his empty plate.

"It's three years of isolation, Brendan," Lance replied. "Everyone else has surely improved and became stronger. Perhaps there are many who have long surpassed the strength of Red from three years ago."

"Hmm," Brendan said, nodding. "Fair enough."

"However," Lance said, smiling slightly, "I can't say for sure. Even for the Elite Four styled Gym Battles yesterday, he did not use his full team. Who knows how strong he has gotten over the years?"

"But why would such a decorated Champion as himself leave his position?" May asked as she rested her head on her palm.

"It's the League's way of operation," Lance answered dully. "Kanto has a different way of doing things."

"I see..." May nodded when she understood what Lance meant. She remained silent afterwards, thinking that she should not stick her nose in too much. She was on foreign ground, after all.

"Well then," Lance said as he stood up, pushing his chair backwards. "I shall go ahead and tell the rest about our plans for later."

The Dragon Master then headed off, while May excused herself to go to the toilet to wash her hands. Meanwhile, upon realizing that he was all alone at the table, Brendan went silent for a while, before he decided to go back to the buffet table to get another pancake to avoid looking like a friendless person.

* * *

After taking a quick check at her appearance, May nodded at her reflection, doing her daily ritual of filling herself up with optimism. Approving her own look, she then glanced at Brendan's beanie, before she paused for a while. Upon remembering Brendan crying back in his office the day before, her heart sank, as she collected her thoughts, as her chest slowly filled up with anxiety.

She remembered his distant eyes, the worry lines on his forehead, the foreign look on his face.

Somehow, she felt that he was getting further and further away from him. Perhaps it was that horrible nightmare that seemed to haunt Brendan every other night. Perhaps it was his workload as a Champion. Perhaps...

May held the beanie tight, as she shook her head in denial. She must be over-reacting. She must be.

 _"May, you were dead, in that nightmare. It was so vivid... What if-"_

She frowned harder. She wondered if it was wrong for her to not tell him, that she had dreamed the exact same situation, with the only difference to be...

As if in response to her jittery emotions, her brain replayed that nightmare in her head. Cold sweat ran down her forehead, goosebumps all over her skin. It was frightening, to her, as terror gripped her, the scene so real-to-life that tears threatened to fall.

 _Brendan is dead, in my nightmare._

She tried to ease her nerves, but her knees buckled, losing its strength as she desperately held onto the edge of the sink. She glanced at herself in the mirror, and what looked back at her was a distraught teenager, fearful and drained of any sort of optimism she had tried to generate a minute ago.

Her grip on the edge of the sink tighten, before she slapped her cheeks hard enough to let out a loud clap sound. She stared at her reflection resolutely, almost angrily, as she reminded herself to stay sane, stay May.

 _Everything will be okay,_ she told herself.

With that, she glanced at her watch, noticing that she had spent far too long moping around. She had to get to the private lounge Lance booked the night before to have a proper meeting with the other members of the Major Arcana. Wearing the beanie over her head, along with her shades, she hurriedly rushed out of the toilet.

And as she turned round the corner of the corridor, she managed to stop in time, effectively avoiding a collision with the boy who went stunned before her. Peering through her shades, and upon recognizing the boy before her, she let out a gasp.

"C-C-C-Can I p-p-p-please h-h-have y-y-y-your autograph!" The boy thrust out a small white board, permanent marker clipped to it. May blinked her eyes in surprise, before she realized that the Johto Champion was actually a fan of hers. She chuckled when the boy let out a squeak of joy as she took his board. Upon giving him her autograph, the Johto Champion's eyes were sparkling so brightly that she could not help but let out a soft laugh.

Ethan started doing a mini celebratory dance, nearly forgetting that his idol was right in front of him. And when he did realize what he was doing, his face turned a reddish pink, as he bowed profusely towards May in his embarrassment. The female Pokemon Coordinator let out a small laugh, and after assuring the Johto Champion that it was alright, she smiled and said, "You are the Chariot, aren't you?"

The Johto Champion went still, the red tinge on his face vanishing. And when he gazed up at May, she felt herself paralyzed by the boy's eyes. His eyes were of a beautiful gold hue, a sort of wild determination running amok in his gaze. She nearly thought that she was looking at Brendan, before she waved the thought away quickly. Maybe because both of them are Champions, maybe that'd explain why they looked so similar.

"How did you know?" Ethan asked. May gulped nervously, as she found herself backing away.

 _No, they are different,_ she told herself. She had never seen such wild eyes in her whole life, and somehow, she felt almost scared of this boy.

If she had to describe this fear rising inside her, it was electrifying, intimidating.

"You'll know soon." She smiled. The boy seemed to blush immediately, as he backed away to hide his embarrassment. Meanwhile, the tension finally left May, as she glanced at the boy, a chill running down her spine.

Now that she thought about it, the Upright side of the Chariot was...

 _Control. Determination. Will power._

As for the reversed...

 _Aggression._

Her head seemed to clear up for a bit, and she let out a sigh.

The Johto Champion _does_ fit to be the Chariot.

* * *

My cheeks are burning, literally.

My feet moved rigidly, left, right, left, right, as if gears were fitted onto my knees, forcing me to walk like a idiotic robot. My heart was beating crazy fast, as I tried to calm down the fanboy beast inside me. I tried to fix my fringe, smooth out my outfit, as I walked along the corridor which led to the lounge Lance had told all of us to go.

I tried to connect to reality, or to this dreamlike situation that was happening to me. I could feel a mini version of myself squealing and somersaulting inside my head, while the sane part of myself kept myself under control, fitting reins around my body to prevent myself from going berserk from happiness. I couldn't believe it.

May Haruka, the May Haruka, was walking beside me!

The heat on my cheeks increased, and I could feel steam coming out of my head. No way, no way.

I could gush on for days about May Haruka. A top Pokemon Coordinator from Hoenn, beautiful looks, and amazing performances. If Red hadn't come around, I might have chosen to fly to Hoenn and become a Pokemon Coordinator, just to meet her.

 _"Well, you wouldn't fit the image,"_ Lyra had said, and I cringed at the thought of myself wearing frilly outfits. Yep, I wouldn't fit the image, at all.

But who would have thought that being a Champion also meant that I get a chance to meet my all-time favorite idol?

I silently congratulate myself over and over again, thanking all the Pokémon in the whole wide universe in my head, while I balled my hand into a fist as I screamed "Yes!" in my head, while tears gushed out of my eyes like waterfalls.

"Oh, we're here!" her angelic, goddess-like voice rang out, and I found myself connecting back to reality. No, no, no, don't let this walk down the corridor end.

In the end, this is reality, and I hate myself for being a part of it.

Thinking I should try to be as gentlemanly as possible, I nervously said, "I-I-I'll open the door."

With that, I walked before her, and my hand reached out for the doorknob. But before I could show off my cool and suave side (even though I doubt I have one), the door swung open, full force, and a sharp pain struck me in the belly. My jaw dropped open, as I stumbled backwards, collapsing into a undignified heap, moaning.

"So there you are, Goldy," Green's bored voice resounded. "I thought you drowned yourself in the toilet."

"The doorknob... stabbed me in the gut," I said, my voice raspy as I grovelled on the ground in pain.

"Sorry not sorry," Green said with a bored expression. "You're late, as always." He then glanced at May, and he immediately put up the gentleman look, flirt mode switched on.

"May-san, I'm sorry about this kid's unsightly behavior," he said, his husky voice evidently making May Haruka blush a little. "You look marvelous. Those posters don't do you justice."

"T-Thank-"

"That's my girlfriend, she's off-limits," another voice said firmly, and as I got up to my feet, I found Brendan Yūki bursting through the door, grabbing hold of May Haruka, as he glared at Green. Meanwhile, my fanboy heart cracked a little, but I could only sigh in exasperation.

I had nearly forgotten. The Hoenn Champion and top Pokemon Coordinator were dating.

"Whoops, sorry," Green answered immediately, looking apologetic. I guess even the most sadistic Gym Leader in existence wouldn't want to offend a Champion. Brendan's expression softened as he courteously invited me in, and I readily took his offer.

In the spacious lounge, the following are present: Red and his Pikachu, Lance Wataru, Brendan Yūki, May Haruka, Green Oak, Lyra Elm, and Morty Matsuba. Lance was once again, in his flashy outfit, cloak and silk and all, while Morty was wearing his purple jumper, his usual grin plastered on his face. Red was especially silent, his red cap on his head, the shadow covering part of his face. Lyra, on the other hand, was red from top to bottom, probably fantasizing about her hot guy list again.

A sort of tension was going on in the air, and I found myself gulping a ton of saliva instinctively. As I sat down next to Lyra, Green immediately leaned over and hissed, "Where did Gin go?"

"I don't know. Probably home," I whispered.

"Which is where?"

"I don't know."

"Wow, are you two really friends?" he said lightly, while I froze, finding a strange sense of guilt rising in my chest. Meanwhile, Lance coughed to get our attention, and soon we were sitting upright, looking at the Dragon Master, whose face had his usual stern expression.

"You all probably have many questions, but before any of them are answered, I believe we should let our guests speak," he said, as he flashily waved his cloak, with Brendan Yūki and May Haruka visibly sweat-dropping, clearly not needing some sort of grand entrance. The Hoenn Champion smiled wryly, before he stepped forward.

"So," he began, as he glanced at May, "as you all know, we came from Hoenn. And our reason for coming is actually, very simple."

He faced us, his blue eyes gazing into mine, then at Red, and for a moment there, I thought I saw a frown on his face. But the creases disappeared a second later, and I started to wonder if I was seeing things.

"The Major Arcana."

Lyra broke out from her trance, and looked around confusedly, while I grabbed her by the head and readjusted her to look in front. Green leaned forward, his eyes intently staring at Brendan. As for Morty, his grin disappeared, while Red was just paying attention, his red eyes startling to look at.

"May and I," Brendan Yūki continued, as he held onto May's hand. "Are Number VI, the Lovers."

The two of them then took off their shoes, showing "VI" tattoos on their ankles.

My mind blanked out as I attempted to compute whatever he was saying, and so did the rest.

"Two of you, a card?" I blurted out. "So you're each a-"

"A half-card," Brendan finished my sentence.

"When?" Green asked. "When did the two of you know?"

"Seven years ago."

"You told me-" Green said, as his eyes widened. He looked visibly irritated, frustrated, even.

"It wasn't the right time," Brendan replied calmly. "I know, I lied to you during that phone call, but it was too early for us to gather."

"I trusted you!" Green nearly yelled. "For four years, I thought I was the only card!"

"I know, and I'm sorry," Brendan said, as he frowned. Green got ready to shout something in reply, before he swallowed back his words, ruffled his hair and plopped back down onto his seat, muttering a "Whatever." He looked beyond furious, but somehow he seemed to understand what Brendan was coming from, and managed to calm himself down, while Brendan said a "Thank you" sincerely.

"Currently, there're five cards gathered here," May said. "Just one more and we will fulfill the prediction Celebi gave to Red."

Red looked visibly shook, as he frowned at May, clearly wondering how the two Hoenn natives knew about this.

"Green told me," Brendan quickly answered. "And according to the prediction, one of us will gain the powers of the Zap Plate."

I remembered Green talking about it to me and Lyra yesterday, before we received the phone call from Morty and Lance to come to Goldenrod, but I was still quite confused about the whole matter, so raising my hand like a student wanting to ask a question, I spoke, "What are the Plates all about? And what kind of powers do we get from them?"

"Thank you for asking." Brendan looked almost relieved, as he continued. "Do allow us to do a demonstration."

Afterwards, he nodded towards May, who nodded in return. The two of them then stood side by side, arms extending out, and what happened in the next moment was absolutely stunning and out of this world.

Their body seemed to have a metallic grey sheen covering it, glowing, as both of them extremely focused, as a gleaming light danced above their palms. A loud clang resounded in the lounge, and an array of metal chains and blades emerged, shooting out at such a speed that Lyra yelped, while I saw my life flashed past me, when one of the metal chains nearly cut me. It all happened so fast, and by the time I remembered to breathe, the whole lounge was decorated with daunting chains, and menacing blades of metal hovering around.

"Pika-pi!" Red's Pikachu squealed as electricity sparked at its red cheeks.

Red, Green and Morty were similarly shocked to the point of standing up from their seats, and even the usually stern Lance looked disconcerted from the shocking display. Brendan and May heaved out a breath collectively, before both of them balled their fists at the same time, and the chains and blades magically shattered into nothingness. The room was instantly reverted to how it once was, as if the two did nothing in the first place.

"What was that!?" I yelled as I excitedly jumped towards Brendan. "Teach me!"

The Hoenn Champion widened his eyes in surprise. Perhaps he had never expected anyone to react to such dangerous things the way I did, but soon he relaxed his shoulders and said, "I can't teach you that, Ethan."

"That's the plate power exclusive to The Lovers," Green said, as he studied Brendan and May. "Steel Type."

"Yep!" May chirped, her voice nearly drowning me in happiness. "It's the Iron Plate, to be specific."

"How... is this possible?" a voice spoke, and I turned around, just to see Morty looking so befuddled that it didn't feel like the Morty I know. Brendan, on the other hand, only gave a mysterious smile, before he replied, "We'll get to that soon, Morty, or should I say, Ryota Matsuba."

The Ghost Type Gym Leader seemed to freeze for a short while, before he went silent, as he gazed at Brendan, appearing strangely cautious and apprehensive. Brendan nodded his head towards him, before he switched his attention back to us.

"We gained the power of the Iron Plate five years ago," he said, as he unzipped his bag pouch, taking out a glowing grey slab. It was vibrating softly, as if it itself was brimming with life. "It will react to the appropriate cards that are worthy of its power. And it is possible for different cards to gain the power of the same plate."

As he placed it on the table, his hand no longer in contact with it, the plate stopped vibrating, appearing like a normal slab of metal. May then encouraged the four of us to try touching it, but nothing visible happened, indicating that none of us are able to wield its power.

"Are you able to use its powers when you're not near, or holding onto the Iron Plate?" Lyra asked, looking really interested.

"Oh yes, we can still use its powers," May said, smiling. "Once we come into contact with it for the first time, our dormant powers are activated."

"Woah." I gasped in wonder, as I saw my idol creating her chains once again, before the chains disappeared once again.

"But now here's the problem," Brendan said, interrupting my admiring session. "One of you here managed to use your powers, without it being activated."

We all went silent, as our gazes turned towards him, the trainer who had been silent throughout. His Pikachu glared as us, perhaps thinking that we were about to do something to him. But the trainer softly patted the Pokemon, who calmed down, but its large round eyes continued to stare at us.

Red's eyes peeked our from under his cap's bill, a frown sitting atop his brows. He sighed, and nodded slightly.

"You see, once we activated our powers, we can strengthen the power of Pokemon who are of the same type as our plate," Brendan explained.

"In other words, we can Mega-Evolve Steel Type Pokemon without any need of a Key Stone or Mega Stone," May added.

A wave of quietude washed over the lounge, as all of us slowly understood the concept of the plates, and the powers of the Major Arcana. Meanwhile, Red seemed to curled backwards, sinking into his seat, as he adjusted his cap, covering most of his face, rendering me unable to discern his expression and what he was thinking about.

"You can use the power of the Flame Plate without activation, Zero," Brendan concluded. "Why is that?"

We all then turned to Red once again, and the trainer, unnerved by all these attention placed upon him, merely sunk deeper into his seat, and answered in a low voice, "... I... Don't know."

"Can you show us your tattoo?"

After pausing for a long while, Red finally sat upright, and slowly removed the fingerless glove on his right hand, his fingers slender and pale under the room light. His Pikachu left his shoulders and obediently sat on the couch. The tattoo, black as the night, was a simple circle, with a slash across it.

A Null sign.

"Isn't The Fool... supposed to have the zero numeral?" Lyra said, her eyes staring intently at the pretty hand of the ex-Champion, while her cheeks blushed.

"Red…," Green began. "How...?"

"So Lance was right," Brendan said. "This is also one of the main reason I wanted to come earlier to Johto. Red, do you perhaps-"

"I don't know, alright?" Red snapped, looking irritated as he glared at all of us. All of us, including Morty and Lance, widened our eyes in surprise, for none of us had seen him so direct and annoyed before. Even his Pikachu appeared to be confused by his trainer's reaction. Tension broke out among us, as I exchanged glances with Green and Lyra.

"No, it's okay. I understand," Brendan broke the silence, his voice calm and certain. "Although I believe someone here holds the answers."

The Hoenn Champion then turned to Morty, who merely sighed, and raised his arms up in surrender.

"Fine, fine," he said, his voice lethargic. "Before I do that, tell me, what am I getting myself into, Hoenn Champion?"

"The fate of the world," Brendan said simply, shocking all of us. Morty, on the other hand, only smirked.

"I like that," he answered.

* * *

It was night at the Sevii Islands.

The red-haired boy looked at the terrace house before him, its gates closed tight. He stared at it forlornly, before he took out a small key, and inserted it into the lock that was holding the gates together. The metal chains jangled, and dropped onto the ground, and with a heavy sigh, Silver pushed the gates with much effort, and soon he was within the property itself.

The Sakaki House.

He trudged towards the main door, every step filling like lead. He should turn back, he really should.

But somehow, his body was not listening to his head, as his legs carried him forward, propelling him towards the lonely door. Standing on the rickety wooden floor, he felt his mind betraying his heart, as the fond memories of him, with his mother, and that coward...

Why was he here? He seriously wondered, but somehow he could not find an answer. He changed, perhaps he didn't have that much hate towards that man as much as before, but he was quite sure he held no love towards that coward.

His hands trembled, as he reached out for the doorknob, as he rethinks again and again whether he should open the door. Even though he knew that it will be darkness, emptiness and loneliness that will be inviting him. His mother was no longer here, neither was that man.

Tears threatened to fall, but he held it in. He must not cry.

 _"Sometimes men must cry, Gin,"_ the coward's voice resounded.

"Shut up... Shut up…," the boy muttered with a strained voice.

 _"Live proudly, and cry when you want to."_

"Shut... up...!" he hissed, as he covered his ears, as he bent down.

 _"Don't let me down, son."_

"Don't you dare talk in my head when you never even shed a tear when Mum died!" the boy finally bellowed, his whole body tensed, as his eyes glared hatefully at the door in front of him. He panted heavily, as he turned around, and remembering that no one lived near the property, he relaxed slightly, somewhat glad that he wasn't heard by anyone.

He turned his head back, gazing at the door. He raised his hand, ready to turn the knob, but finally decided against it, as he distanced himself away from the door.

"I guess... I'll stay at somewhere else tonight…," he muttered to himself, before he stepped backwards, until a chilling feeling rose up in his chest, constricting his chest, robbing him of all oxygen.

He gasped heavily, as he felt the presence of something behind him, fearsome and unknown. Slowly, he willed himself to turn around, and he felt the color leaving his face instantly.

Before him, a black, shadow-like Pokémon hovered. A white fog-like ghostly plume billowing from its head covered one of its bright blue eyes, with the portion on its face resembling hair. Red spiky growth around its neck and skinny arms and long black tatters hanging from its shoulders, its black, claw-like hands were frighteningly huge. A trail of black rags seemed to be floating from behind its body.

"W-W-What are you...?" Silver stammered, as he gazed into the Pokemon's eyes, his breath immediately snatched away. Something was strangling him, digging under his skin, and the shadow suddenly wrapped itself over him, rendering him restricted and completely under the mercy of the Pokemon itself. His mouth was covered, and he struggled to breathe but to no avail.

 _Join us... Join us..._

A raspy voice resounded in his head, and Silver flailed his arms desperately. His hands finally managed to grab hold of one of his Pokéballs on his belt, and without further ado, he threw it onto the ground, releasing his Feraligatr.

 _The Major Arcana... will fall._

The intimidating Water Type instantly released a Hydro Pump, with the wraith-like Pokemon releasing his grip on Silver. The boy coughed painfully, choking onto his saliva, as he tried to say a number of commands to his Pokemon. Feraligatr obeyed and instantly released an array of Water Type attacks. Meanwhile, Silver opened his five other Pokéballs, shooting out many commands, as his Pokemon unleashed a number of attacks, attempting to fend the assailant away.

 _You will join us... without fail._

Suddenly, the shadow dissipated away, completely gone, while Silver's Pokemon stopped their attacks, finding the shadow Pokemon nowhere to be found. They then slowly walked over to their trainer, who had already stood up, the boy looking up at the moon.

He didn't know what that Pokemon was, and what had happened, and if there was a clue, it was one thing:

The Major Arcana.

And if he had not heard wrongly, he remembered that prick and the gel maniac saying something about cards, and the Major Arcana.

Gazing up at the moon, he knew one thing.

He, and whatever the Major Arcana are, are in danger.

* * *

 **Major Arcana Character Fact Files:**

 **1\. Number VI, The Lovers: Brendan Yūki and May Haruka**

 **Plate Power: Steel Type, Iron Plate**

 **\- Control metals**

 **\- Brendan Yūki: Primarily uses blades**

 **\- May Haruka: Primarily uses chains**

 **\- ?**

 **Attack: Medium**

 **Special Attack: Low**

 **Speed: Low-Medium**

 **Defense: High**

 **Special Defense: High**

 **Special traits: They can sense each other when the other half is in the vicinity**


	23. Chapter 23: False Legend

False Legend

As he flipped through the newspaper, he found himself rather amused yet troubled by the amount of headlines and articles on the events leading up to the war written all over the pages. The news itself was no doubt very staggering and impactful on the world itself, he supposed, considering how fast it was spreading, be it by word of mouth or through online platforms. He felt almost sorry for the Hoenn sportsman who broke a world record, for his article occupied a wee little space in the paper. Talk about being a one-hit wonder.

He let out a soft grunt as he scrutinized the article that was dedicated to talking about the welcome party to be held very soon, two days—in fact, at the Indigo League Building in Kanto. At the mention of "red carpet", "who will be the fashion disaster" and many words about the anticipation on the dressing of the many famous trainers attending the party, Steven was exasperated by the press's enthusiasm at discussing such trivial topics. He finally set the paper down, tired of the reporter's nonsense. It was a good idea of the three leagues' to only break the news to the general public at such a time, considering that the Hoenn trainers would leave just tomorrow, saving them the trouble to deal with too much of the paparazzi and unnecessary cameras and mics flashing before them.

"Imagine if those people caught wind of the Champion, and my beloved student eloping to Johto last night. A disaster, I'd reckon."

"They weren't eloping," Steven answered with a sigh of exasperation. "And what brings you to my villa, Wallace?"

Wallace grinned, before striding over to the couch and with a dramatic wave of his clock, and he replied, "Why, to see my friend, the lonely rock maniac after so many years! Missed me?"

Steven chuckled softly, a sense of nostalgia sweeping over him as Wallace displayed his flamboyance and exuberance, before he noticed the rude comments his friend had tossed at him mere seconds ago. Irritated, the man turned over and uttered, "I'm not lonely, Wallace. And I'm certainly not a 'maniac'. Call me an 'enthusiast'."

"That's just a nicer word for 'maniac.'"

Steven took it upon himself to ignore Wallace, and he did just that, by pretending to read the newspaper, even though a ton of similar and boring articles were adorning the pages. However, Wallace leaned over, intruding with his head, beret on top, effectively obstructing Steven's view.

"These are just a fraction of what I've been seeing things like this everywhere on the streets, my friend." Wallace shook his head as he read the alarming headlines. "Who would have thought war is going to break out, after so many years of peace?"

"I can only hope that Kanto and Johto are coping well," Steven said in reply as he slowly flipped to the next page.

A foreboding silence had started building between the two, with Wallace trying to study his friend's face, which appeared calm, reserved as always.

"You... Don't tell me, you're going to go and fight," Wallace said, as a visible and rare frown sat on his brows. Steven said nothing, but Wallace could discern his answer from the threatening silence. The Gym Leader then placed a firm hand on Steven's left shoulder.

"Don't, Daigo, there's no need for you to—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the former Champion shot him a glare, and Wallace shut up immediately the moment he saw those clear blue eyes giving him a reprimanding look. Steven folded the paper once again, then placing it next to him.

"The reason why we are helping Kanto and Johto, is to prevent that deadly threat from coming to Hoenn," he asserted. "This war, has to be won. If we can't stop those Deoxys now, Hoenn, along with Kanto and Johto, will fall, sooner or later."

"But Daigo," Wallace said sternly, "you have no obligation to go over! You're no longer associated with the Pokémon League, so just go back to Sinnoh-"

"While you are in danger? While all my friends are fighting at the frontlines, where they can die any moment?" Steven was nearly shouting as he concluded, "Not happening."

"What about your rocks? Your research? You're a rock maniac, for Arceus' sake!"

"Enthusiast!" Steven emphasized, before he cleared his throat. "And stop bringing up unrelated things, Wallace!"

"Fine. Have you told her?"

"Her...?" Steven Stone hesitated for a while before he continued. "She has nothing to do with this."

Wallace gritted his teeth, as he tried to control his urge to grab the man by his red cravat and give him a solid punch in the face. Steven's eyes were clouded as he stared at Wallace.

The two trainers were now practically holding an eye-to-eye argument, and it was after a long while did Wallace sigh heavily.

"Daigo, please, the least I want is for you to die on the battlefield."

"Ditto," the former Champion replied immediately. Knowing that he has already lost the argument, Wallace sighed for an agonizing minute, before he glanced at his friend with a grin as wide as Hoenn itself.

"You know, for someone as reserved as you, you are awfully stubborn."

* * *

Ethan gazed curiously at Morty, who took in a deep breath as he stood up, his eyes closing slowly. The Johto Champion then glanced at Brendan, rather perturbed by the Hoenn Champion's words.

 _"The fate of the world,"_

The boy blinked his eyes in confusion the moment he remembered his words. Twenty-two human beings, responsible for the fate of the world? He nearly wanted to scoff, until his memory flashed past him, the enigmatic black figure that had appeared in his dream.

 _The beginning of the end._

No, no, no, he thought to himself. He must be thinking too deeply into this. With that, the boy switched his attention to the Ecruteak City Gym Leader, who stayed unbelievably still. Morty calmed his heart, and cancelled out the noise around him, submerging himself into a dark abyss, where all he could hear, was himself.

And with a soft breath, he said the very name within his mind.

 _Sei._

The same ripple extended outwards, swaying, swaying. Bells rang out around Morty, and above him, his ancestor appeared, his Japanese robes trailing behind him gracefully, his sleeves long enough to cover Morty's sight. The ancient man hovered above him, his eyes closed.

"What the—!" Ethan gasped, while Morty noticed something irregular. They were staring at Sei.

Brendan, May, Red, Green, Ethan, Lyra.

Morty widened his eyes in shock.

 _They can see Sei._

He stole a glance at Lance, who looked fairly disturbed, clearly not aware of the emergence of a ghost inside the lounge. No, he wasn't mistaking it. Usually, no one, except for Morty himself, can see Sei.

"All of you... can see this man above me?" he asked, trying to make sure. And sure enough, all six of them nodded in reply, as they continued to gape at Sei's ethereal body. Morty pursed his lips. He felt as his life was getting down a strange turn, becoming weirder and weirder. First was the strange Mega Evolution of Red's Charizard, then the Major Arcana, then chains and swords popping out in the middle of nowhere, and now these people before him are capable of seeing the Matsuba Clan's resident ghost.

 _Wait, isn't Sei unusually quiet?_

Morty gazed up, just to see a familiarly unfamiliar sight.

Sei was crying. Much more than that day.

The ghost looked all so thin all of a sudden, his face suddenly looking extremely old and melancholic, as tears ran down his cheeks in uncontrollable waterfalls. His face looked near white, and his arms were limp, and even the bells tied to his hair weren't ringing like they usually do.

"Sei?" Morty said as he reached out to grab hold of the ghost's robes, before his hands passed through the ghost's translucent figure, and it was when the Ghost Type Gym Leader remembered that Sei was untouchable. Even so, the ghost had no response.

"Sei—!" Morty attempted to call out, until the ghost suddenly flew forward, arms outstretched, towards one of the six people standing before him.

Red widened his eyes, as the ghost's arms tried to reach out towards him, but instead of a presumable hug, Sei's arms passed through his neck, sending a chill down his spine. The ghost then looked up, apparently just realizing that Red couldn't be in contact with. Sei panted, as he glanced at his translucent hands frantically, before he met Red's eyes. He opened his mouth, closing it, before his tears flow out more torrential than before. Red gazed at the ghost, bewildered and mystified.

"Neo... Neo…," he started saying. "It's me...!"

The others stared at the two, astonished, all of them unable to comprehend what in the world was going on. Red started shaking his head, while his Pikachu arched its back up, in attack mode.

"I've never seen you... before…," Red said softly, his red eyes still wide from shock and disbelief. Sei seemed to freeze immediately, his arms still there hanging in mid-air, and even his tears had stopped. A cold silence followed, with Sei turning his head up and down, scanning at Red's appearance repeatedly, until the ghost finally stared at Red's crimson eyes once again.

"You're... not him," the ghost finally said, his voice shattering, full of utter disappointment. He backed away slowly, as he appeared to be trying to collect his thoughts.

Red stared at the Sei as he felt his breath catch inside his throat. He felt like he was looking at Death, at a being that should not be existing in this world.

"Who are you...?" Sei finally murmured, after a minute of silence.

The trainer gasped, suddenly dragged back to reality.

"...Red."

Sei paused once more, as his eyes were fixated onto Red, the boy shuddering involuntarily from the haunting feeling of his soul being gazed upon, totally exposed. Pikachu growled as he fixated his eyes onto the odd entity. The ghost quirked an eyebrow, his face full of thought and confusion.

"I don't understand…," Sei muttered. "How can you resemble him... this much?"

The ghost then backed away as he frantically tried to stop the tears that came dripping down without warning. "Goodness," he said. "You're bad for my heart, kid. That face is too distracting."

Meanwhile, Lyra nodded her head, wholeheartedly agreeing with Sei, her cheeks hot.

"You there, can you see me too?" Sei asked, pointing at Lyra, who squeaked in reply.

"You?"

"You too?"

The ghost went still after six of them nodded.

"Who are you?" Sei turned to Red, and asked all of a sudden.

"Erm..." Red faltered. "I'm... Red."

"Not your name, child," Sei said as he averted his eyes from the teen, the ghost trying to contain his tears. "As in, who are you? If you, other than Ryota, can see me, it's either I'm crazy, or you're-"

"The Major Arcana," Brendan cut in. "All six of us."

The Hoenn Champion stepped closer to the ghost, as his piercing blue eyes gazed at Sei, focused and unwavering.

"And you, Matsuba Sei," he said, his index finger pointing straight at the ghost's face. "You are the First Generation's Number XIV,"

Green instantly went frozen, his mouth dropping open. Lyra found her own muscles going slack from the shock, while May only closed her eyes, calm and quiet. Matsuba Sei narrowed his eyes, as he stared into Brendan's eyes, as if he was trying to read the teenager himself.

"Temperance."

A deafening silence dropped among the people within the lounge, with Lance sitting quietly, despite knowing that he was completely clueless of what was going on here. Somehow he found himself to be very out of place, but he knew that he had to witness what was going to happen. As a Dragon-type trainer from the centuries-old Khoth Clan, he had seen many scriptures, cave carvings, stone slabs that spoke of the mysterious Major Arcana. But to think that right before him, was a living generation of the deck itself.

The group of people that will determine whether is on the path of destruction, or evolution.

He sat there quietly, observing.

Matsuba Sei eyes widened, and then darkened, causing the whole lounge to drop a few degrees as many held their tongues, wondering how would he respond. He then sighed, in which Ethan noticed that it remarkably resembled the way Morty did just a few minutes ago. It was as if he was looking at another Morty, just with a few changes in appearance, and humanity.

"Indeed," he answered solemnly.

Ethan was ready to shout, exclaim, whatever, but his tongue was inexplicably tied, and he merely sat there, like all the rest.

"Then you must know, about the tragedy that befell the First Generation."

Sei stiffened, as a strangling silence ensued. He wiped his wet cheeks, before he glanced at Red once again, a pained expression on his face.

"I will not speak of it," he answered firmly.

"Please—"

"I refuse," he said, louder than before. "I am dead. I am a ghost. The past will stay as the past. Temperance, or not, it is not my responsibility to tell you any sort of truth. The First Generation is dead. We have faded away into history."

"Then... who is Neo?" Brendan said.

Silence.

"Stop it," Sei growled as his eyes burned with a kind of ancient fury. "I will not say anything, and I am leaving."

"No can do," Morty replied as he glared at his ancestor. "If you leave, I can simply summon you back."

"And why do you need to do this?" Sei shouted, indignant.

"Because you never tell me anything," Morty barked. "Arcana, Temperance, First Generation, what not, I never heard of them from you. Who exactly are you, Matsuba Sei?"

"I—," Sei began, before he turned away, avoiding Morty's glare.

"Sei-san... Please," Brendan urged.

The ghost folded his arms as he stared at Brendan for a long while.

"What's your name? And show me the proof that you are part of the deck," he said as he pointed at Brendan, an unpleasant frown on his face.

"Brendan Yūki. Half of Number VI, the Lovers." He then promptly removed his shoe, showing his tattoo.

"You?" Sei said as he pointed to May. "The other half, I presume."

She nodded, while Sei shook his head.

"Pity," Sei simply said, earning a few raised brows from the rest, while Brendan and May both pursed their lips as they lowered their head, solemn.

"What about you?" the ghost continued on as he pointed at Ethan.

"H-H-Hibiki Ethan! Number VII, t-t-the Chariot!" Ethan said, rolling up his sleeve and trying to control his excitement. It wasn't everyday that you get to talk to a ghost, after all.

"Weird kid," Sei muttered, before he shot a look at Lyra, who squeaked in return. "Lyra Elm, Number V, the Hierophant!"

She turned her neck a little, showing her distinct "V" tattoo.

Sei then turned to Green Oak, who narrowed his eyes as he tugged his collar slightly, showing his tattoo and answered, "... Green Oak, Number I, the Magician."

The ghost immediately backed away a little as he studied the human boy before him. His lips quivered, and he mumbled something, before he nodded his head. He then looked to the last card, his heart dropping when he saw the face that seemed so familiar yet foreign at the same time.

"And... you?" Sei said, as he stood there, hovering.

"... Red," he answered. "Number Zero, the Fool."

Pikachu seemed to be more quiet than before, as he gazed at the ghost, apprehensive. His trainer's eyes bored into Sei, who shuddered, as if reminded of something fearsome, something he know all too well. Even this boy's gaze, was reminiscent of that man.

But it was then when the ghost noticed the null symbol on his right hand.

"... Null?" he exclaimed, and before he could think straight, he blurted out, "... The Last?"

"The Last?" The six of them collectively repeated the two words, while Morty and Lance exchanged curious glances at each other.

"Pika-pi?" the mouse squeaked, as he glanced at the tattoo on his master's hand. What have they been talking about, exactly?

"Do you... know anything about this?" Red asked softly.

Sei paused for a few seconds before he shook his head.

"All of you, leave this room at once. I would like to talk to this boy," Sei said in a commanding tone.

"Pika pika-pi!" Pikachu cried out, as he stuck closer to his trainer, firm on staying by the boy's side.

"The Pikachu can stay," Sei sighed.

"What about our questions?" Brendan said, looking rather irritated. "We have so much to ask—!"

"I will give you answers, but never the full truth. I will only speak what has to be said, nothing more, nothing less," Sei said. "And that is final. Do not try to challenge me."

The lounge seemed to be frozen in time in that moment, until Green stood up and headed for the door.

"Let's go," the trainer muttered as he ruffled his hair and let out a yawn. Lance stood up, not really knowing what had been going on, but he was quite ready to retain his sanity, and was quick to exit. Ethan and Lyra hesitantly followed him, while May looked back and forth from the door, to Brendan, he glared at the ghost for a long while.

"Seven years," Brendan growled as his knuckles turned white. "That's how long I've been trying to get answers."

"And?" Sei muttered as he eyed the boy, whose blue eyes only looked angrier and more frustrated by the second.

"You can see the future, can't you?" Brendan shouted. "So you should know that one of the Lovers will die!"

A collective gasp escaped from the mouths of everyone who heard the Hoenn Champion's words, who gritted his teeth, as he stared at the ghost with wide eyes, as if demanding Sei to answer.

"All this time, I have been trying to solve this mystery, this accursed legend, so that I can prevent Haruka from dying!" he shouted, while May gasped, tears rolling out of her eyes softly.

"I see," Sei said, his expression neutral, unreadable. "And?"

"I'll do anything," he said. "So tell me what I have to do."

Sei's face went grim, as he answered, "Then you should already know what to do."

Brendan paused, before saying, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you said it yourself," Sei said. "'One of the Lovers will die', and you don't want her to die."

"You mean…," Brendan uttered.

"Simple, you die in her place," Sei concluded. "Here, I've answered your question, the door is right over there."

The Hoenn Champion went speechless as he turned to look at May, whose tears rolled down even faster as she squeezed her eyes and shook her head. His face turned even paler when he turned to the ghost, hoping that he could provide him any other answers, but Sei only shook his head and he gestured towards the door.

With slow steps, the two of them shuffled out of the room, and the door was finally shut.

Meanwhile, Red felt his legs being glued to the ground as the ghost turned around, with arms crossed, started staring at him. Pikachu was once again in battle mode, but Sei ignored him, his violet eyes darting up, down, left and right, as if he was studying an extremely rare specimen. Suddenly, Sei glanced downwards, and Red immediately followed his gaze, realizing that the ghost was looking at his tattoo. The ghost frowned, looking up again, his eyes appearing confused and surprised.

"Strange," the ghost muttered.

"..."

"Red eyes... Black, messy hair... Almond eyes…," he muttered.

"...Um..."

"I just don't get it."

"..."

Suddenly, Sei's eyes widened, and Red could almost picture a light bulb lighting up above his head. But the ghost shook his head again, as if he was dismissing the thought.

"... Sorry... are you perhaps... referring to this... Neo person...?"

The ghost jumped back—or flew back—startled, like he had forgotten that before him was a living, talking human being. He chuckled at his own reaction, before he smiled, in which Red thought that the grin reminded him of the laid back Morty.

"Indeed," Sei answered. "You look like him, but, obviously, you are not him."

"... About that…," Red uttered, as he gingerly took out his wallet and flipped it open. "...I was wondering..."

His dainty fingers held up the photo, of himself as a baby, held lovingly in the arms of his mother, and next to her, was a man, with a head of messy black hair, and a set of flaming red eyes.

"... If you know this man, or maybe is he-"

"Neo."

Red's eyes widened, as he felt his legs trembling. Pikachu immediately noticed his trainer's behavior, and squeaked softly. The ghost before him stared at the photo intently, his eyes getting wetter and wetter by the second. Sei then noticed the women, and the baby, whose eyes were of equal intensity of crimson. His whole ephemeral body went motionless, as he gaped at the boy standing before him.

"No way...," Sei muttered. "A son?"

"... Where is he?" Red said, as his fingers gripped the photo tighter than ever, making it fold slightly. He could feel his body burning, his head hurting as he remembered the days he saw his mother weeping silently, the days when both mother and child were missing someone in the family, and the dream when he saw his dad.

"Goodness... I—I don't know where to begin... You're his son!?" Sei exclaimed, not hearing the trainer's questions. Pikachu's hairs went on end, as the ghost's loud voice surprised him, causing him to nearly fall off his trainer's shoulder. The mouse glanced at his trainer with a worried look, but was instead befuddled by Red's expression.

"Where is he!" the trainer shouted, while Pikachu squeaked in shock, for he has never seen his trainer being so angry before. Sei was similarly surprised, and when he did recover his reverie, he shook his head, melancholic.

"Believe me, I have tried searching myself," he said, as he stared at Red, a bittersweet smile on his face. "But I guess that you appearing before me, with that picture... I'm glad."

"Pika?" The mouse jerked his body up in surprise, when he felt a strange heat emanating from his trainer's body, while the trembling seemed to worsened and instinctively, Pikachu jumped off Red's shoulders, onto the ground.

"... Glad?" Red muttered, his anger seething out. "How... can you be glad?"

"Kid?" Sei asked, looking concerned.

"Fifteen years... And he has never come home... Not even once...!" Red yelled.

"Kid—"

"Pika Pika!"

"Do you have any idea... how much hurt that good-for-nothing man..."

"Kid!"

"... Has inflicted onto my mother...!?"

"You're burning the picture!"

The boy finally paused and realized the photo- the only family photo- was slowly burning from the edge down. He gasped, dropping the photo onto the ground, and Pikachu swiftly went over to stomp out the flame. The photo laid quietly on the ground, crumpled, slightly burnt, but was overall, safe and sound.

"... So you have already gained the power of a plate," Sei said as he looked at the boy, whose shoulders went tense.

"I can't control it... because I haven't... physically touched the plate."

Sei went quiet, and the trainer clenched his fists and then opened them, and looked almost afraid... of himself.

"All in due time, kid," Sei chuckled. "And about your father..."

The trainer immediately looked up, causing Sei to gulp nervously at the sight of the furious blaze in his red eyes. Meanwhile Pikachu perked his ears up, as he observed the two.

"I understand how you feel," Sei sighed. "Even I hated him for leaving me behind..." His voice trailed off when he realize Red was staring at him curiously.

"He left you behind...?" Red asked, surprised.

"Ah, I spoke too much, didn't I?" Sei laughed. "Red, was it?"

Red nodded in reply, noting that the ghost was trying to avoid talking about his relationship with his father. Sei then gazed at the trainer, a serious expression on his face.

"Trust Neo," he said. "Unconditionally."

"What?" Red said. "Why?"

"He is the key to the mystery of the Major Arcana," Sei replied. "Find him, although that man is near impossible to find."

"Wait, I don't understand..."

"All in due time, Red," Sei affirmed, a mysterious grin on his lips. "Now, I have two more things to tell you. Nothing more, nothing less, as promised to Number VI."

"...Is one of them definitely going to die?"

"Pardon?"

"...The Lovers..."

"Ah, them." Sei said. "All humans die, Red. It's just the question of when. Dying and living are what humans do after all."

Red stared at the ghost, dumbfounded by his perception of death. Perhaps because he was dead, perhaps because he was a ghost.

"...What about you?" the boy blurted out without thinking. He blushed, embarrassed for asking such a question.

"Me?" Sei chuckled. "I'm neither dead nor alive. Ryota calls me a ghost, which seems befitting, but that's wrong. Because you see, Red, I'm an entity with a conscience of someone who was once alive but I am not exactly dead."

"..." Red was rendered speechless, as he stared at the ghost- not a ghost- who had answered his random question all so honestly.

"Let's not go off track, Red. Here is the second thing I will be telling you."

The boy nodded as he listened intently to Sei.

"Do not trust the legend of the Major Arcana."

Red stopped breathing momentarily, blinking his eyes in confusion. The legend of the Major Arcana?

"You must have heard stories about my generation. The Fool who set off to find the others, until someone betrayed the deck, resulting in an inevitable tragedy," Sei said. "That legend... was not entirely true. The real truth behind the first generation is much scarier than you ever imagined."

"...What happened?"

Sei chuckled. "Nothing more, nothing less, remember? But once you find Neo, the truth will come to light."

"...How does Neo know all of these?"

Sei gazed at Red, a bittersweet yet melancholic look in his eyes. His ephemeral robes fluttered, and the bells adorning his hair rang slightly. Red waited, hoping that Sei would at least answer this question.

"Nothing more, nothing less."

Dang.

"Now, on to the very last information I can provide. Red, has your life been targeted by someone recently?"

Pikachu went stiff, as memories of the collapsing ruins ran through his mind. He squeaked repeatedly, in which Sei glanced at the mouse with a knowing look.

"As expected," Sei murmured, a stern look in his gaze. "He has started to move, that... "

"...Who is it?" Red whispered. Pikachu deftly leaped and landed on his trainer's shoulder, and both impatiently waited for the answer.

"A former card," Sei replied, his expression going dark, and any light in his eyes disappeared. He clenched his fists so tightly that the knuckles turned white, and his face turned so pale that Red forgot to breathe.

"And the nemesis of the Major Arcana, Licinius."

* * *

 **3 months since the last update! I've been busy with my many other commitments in school, and had distanced myself from narrative writing for quite a while. Even so, I'm really thankful for love you wonderful people have given to this story and I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter. Do look forward to the next installment, the ride is just going to get more exciting! :D**

 **A huge thank you to SelfiesWithSprinkles for beta-reading this chapter!**


	24. Chapter 24: Trust, Untrust

Trust, Untrust

"I like you... as more than a friend," he whispered, his cheeks burning up harder than he expected, but he kept his fists clenched, rather conflicted about his emotions at that moment as he confessed his feelings to the girl, who appeared stunned, for her eyes seemed to become larger and larger as his words sank in. He assured himself that the moment was right, after spending such a long time second-guessing himself. He glanced down, trying to hide his pink cheeks, until he noticed the tattoo peeking out of his sock.

He shifted his foot, suddenly reminded of his duty, his mission, and his fear.

What if... this feeling he feels for her was not of his own?

What if... he is romantically attracted to her, because of the legend?

He started to question himself, all the while afraid to look up and meet her at the eye. He was merely a boy, who was crowned as the Champion of Hoenn. He who has nothing, but a pair of hands, his Pokémon, as well as his secret identity of being a half-card.

Since ten, he knew he would no longer have a simple, easy life.

Since ten, he knew that he was destined to walk the thorny path with someone.

And since ten, he knew that this girl would be his partner for life.

It never needed any form of verbal agreement. She was aware of it as well, and when she first met him, they immediately came to a silent consensus that they were connected. He never liked the idea of his life being decided in such a manner, and he tried to avoid developing any sort of feelings for her.

Yet he still found himself attracted to her. He started to search for her figure in the crowd, yearn for her touch, and miss that cheerful laughter that lifted his spirits every time he hears it.

Silly, perhaps.

He was a silly fourteen year old child who had a hopeless crush on his best friend.

"I..." Her soft voice trailed off. She was hesitating.

"I might be liking you because of the whole Major Arcana business," he said nervously, his palms sweating profusely. "But I still want to be with you. Maybe my feelings are fabricated. Maybe they don't come from my own heart, but even so, I like... no, I love you." He nearly choked, but he managed to get the words out. His cheeks were hotter than ever.

"Me too," she whispered.

His heart stopped.

"I mean, I-I can't be a hundred percent sure, that I love you because of my own feelings, but I am sure that...," May said, as she tried to ease her heart that was beating out of control. "I want to be with you."

A pregnant pause emerged between the two teenagers.

"I...," he said.

"I...," she said, at the exact same time.

They paused once more, before both of their cheeks lit up, red and glowing while they timidly reached for the other's hands, their fingers slipping into the gaps of the other. And slowly, they whispered to each other in unison.

"... Love you."

* * *

The door was closed, and the group outside the lounge looked at the Hoenn Champion and the Pokémon Coordinator, the couple wearing looks of melancholy and depression.

"We can try listening to their conversation?" Ethan suggested, clearly not reading the mood.

"It's soundproof, Goldy. And please, shut up," Green said in a low voice.

A long, agonizing silence followed, and Ethan gulped multiple times, as he glanced left and right, at Lance, then at Green, then at Lyra, before he was at a loss of words, and finally, for once, he decided to stand still.

"I...," began Brendan, who placed his hand onto his beanie and pulled it down, almost covering his eyes. "Have to go to the washroom."

No one said anything, and he hurriedly strode off, and once he turned around the corner, May leaned against the wall, tears threatening to spill out.

"I'm sorry, I need to be alone for a second," she said, her voice strained.

Green sighed, before he grabbed Ethan by the hoodie and started dragging the confused younger boy along, with a solemn Lance walking faster ahead. Lyra followed, her hands cold with sweat, before she stopped for a second, and glanced at the older girl, wanting to say something, but in the end, could only walk away.

"Morty, aren't you coming?" Ethan called out.

"Nah," the man replied. "I have to stay here."

He then grinned his usual smile, in which Green merely let out a huff, and walked on. Soon, only Morty and May were left in the corridor.

Morty then leaned against the opposite wall, bending his head down and lightly shifting his scarf up, and he closed his eyes, hooking his thumbs in his pants' pockets. He was quiet, almost unreactive, as he stood there in a laid back position.

May was now curled up against the wall, hugging her knees tightly, sniffling. She then looked up at the Gym Leader, who after a few seconds opened his eyes, noticing that the Pokémon Coordinator was looking at him curiously.

"I have to remain near to that lazy ghost," he simply said. "Or else he will go 'poof'."

She hugged her knees tighter, looking uncomfortable.

"Just treat me as if I'm not here, lady," he said with a smile. "I have near zero presence."

She eyed him, wary, but finally decided to stay at her spot.

The minutes passed, but neither had any sign of movement. It was all very quiet, until Morty swung himself forward to stand straight, his eyes studying the door. May jerked her head up, surprised, but seemed to realize that the talk between Red and Sei was over.

And true enough, the door swung open, where Red appeared, his Pikachu perched on his shoulders. The trainer was about to exit, when he saw Morty in front of him.

"How was it?" the Gym Leader asked. Morty was incredibly curious about what the two had talked about, considering that he had never seen anyone else, except for his grandfather, to talk to the queer ghost.

In return, Red nodded his head, grabbing hold of the bill of his cap. Morty smiled at him good-naturedly, as he unhooked his thumbs from his pockets.

"I hope I managed to help," he said. "But I supposed there are still many questions that ancestor of mine left unanswered."

Red nodded his head again, and then from the peripheral of his vision, noticed May already standing at, the girl gazing at him, her eyes puffy.

"... I'm sorry…," he found himself saying. May eyes widened, and she shook her head.

"What for?" she asked, her smile almost forced.

"Because..." Red averted his gaze, thinking that he should not probe into the matter. He looked at her once again.

He did wonder how much time the both of them have left, but he pushed the question to the back of the head, as he instead asked, "...Where are the rest?"

"Nearby, I suppose," Morty answered as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll text Green."

The Gym Leader then whipped out an old-looking PokéGear, and with fast fingers, typed the message. After a few seconds, the device vibrated, in which Morty peered at the screen and said, "Room 302."

"Shall we go?" He smiled as he snapped the device closed. Red and May glanced at each other, before they nodded in agreement. Morty, placing one hand into his pocket, sauntered off, while the two walked behind him.

It was a short trip to the particular room, which turned out to be Red and Green's shared room. Green, Ethan and Lyra had been hanging out inside for a short while, but upon the threesome's arrival, Ethan was quick to jump up and start shooting out questions.

"What did the ghost say? Did he possess you? Oh! Or are you the ghost? No, wait, get out of Red now, ghost! I want to battle him!" the boy said as he circled around Red, who let out a sigh of defeat. Green rolled up his sleeves in annoyance, and Ethan immediately sweat-dropped and ceased his incessant blabbering.

"Where's Lance?" Morty asked, upon noticing the lack of the man with his flashy cloaks.

"He left," Green lightly replied, before he turned to May. "He has already helped the two of you to settle your lodging, so I shall assume that you and Brendan are aware of where to go after this."

"Oh, yes," the Coordinator answered courteously. "No worries."

"And one more thing," Green continued. "We have to check out by noon."

"Sure." Morty grinned.

"Okay, so where's Brendan?" Ethan spoke as he sat on one of the beds, dangling his legs. Lyra shot him a glare, while May merely smiled and said, "I'll be sure to inform him on whatever Matsuba Sei has told Red. Let us start."

Pikachu poked his trainer's cheeks, prompting the boy to inform them on what happened in the lounge.

"... He told me to find this man... called Neo," Red began hesitantly. "... Who happens to be... my father..."

"Wait," Green said. He held out a hand. "What did you say? Your dad?"

"How is your father related to the Major Arcana?" May said, looking confused. Red gulped, as he tried to calm himself down, and gritting his teeth, he answered, "... He refused to tell me...

The people in the room noticed the slight agitation in his voice, and the trainer was now clenching his fists tight, clearly angry, about something. But none of them knew what it was.

"Neo is the key to the mystery of the Major Arcana... that's what he told me..." Red continued.

"Strange…," muttered Ethan. "How does the ghost know about your father? I mean, that ghost should have existed centuries... ago..."

The sudden silence enveloped the five of them, and Green immediately turned his head to look at the boy.

"Unless, Neo is a card," Green said slowly. He looked at the rest of them, who all seemed to agree as they gave little nods of their heads. Morty simply stared at the group, as he leaned against the wall, relaxed.

"... No, there's more…," Red said as he swallowed a lump in his throat. "...The ghost said that the legend of the Major Arcana... is not entirely true..."

"Figures," Green deadpanned. "I've always thought that the story had loopholes."

"... And that... Neo knows what really happened…," Red continued as he squeezed his eyes shut. He appeared conflicted, but no one could grasp what he was feeling right now.

Meanwhile, Ethan nearly face-palmed himself, as he exclaimed, "Your dad? Again?"

"But how will your father know what really happened?" Lyra said, before she faltered for a while. "Unless...

"...He was present when the events occurred," Red concluded, his voice sounding strained.

Everyone gasped at that moment, but Red was not yet done, and he continued to speak, "... The last thing he told me was... the name of our enemy... no, the nemesis of the Major Arcana... 'The betrayer who has lived longer than any human…' and a former member of the First Generation of the Major Arcana..."

He took in a deep breath, calming himself down.

"Licinius."

Silence.

Everyone was at a loss for words, as they tried to take in whatever the former Champion had said, and it was until Green stepped in, the boy feeling absolutely weirded out.

"If he lived longer than any human, is the ghost saying that, we are dealing with a non-human... no..." Green paused, feeling that the idea was way too outrageous to even think about it.

"An immortal," Morty said coolly, as he fiddled with his scarf. "I'm not all too sure about what's with the Major Arcana and all, but from what I hear, it is rather apparent that there are people in this world, who..." The Gym Leader froze for a second, before he continued, "Are unable to die."

"And if you think along these lines, it is quite highly likely that Neo himself is also an immortal." Morty continued, before he raised his hands up in surrender and added. "But this is just my guess, don't take it too seriously."

Yet, no one had any other explanation for the ghost's strange words, and at the next instant, the room fell deadly quiet. Red lowered his head, uncomfortable and confused.

"So what?" Green suddenly said, looking fairly calm. "Immortal or not, we still have one goal."

"Right," May said as she nodded her head.

"We have to find every single card," Lyra continued

"At all costs!" Ethan shouted as he furrowed his brows, his gold eyes glinting with excitement.

"Pika!" the mouse cheered, his little paw punching the air.

"Yay," Morty blandly muttered. "I'll leave this to you guys, so now if you'll excuse me, I have Gym duties to attend to." He glanced at his PokéGear, which had started to vibrate.

"Thanks for the help, Morty," May said as she gave a short bow.

"Anytime." He smirked. "Ethan, I'll leave the checking out to you."

"Yeah," the boy said as he nodded.

Waving a quick goodbye, the Gym Leader sauntered out of the door and left.

Meanwhile, Green let out a sigh, before he turned to May.

"I've been meaning to ask you this, May," he said. "How did you and Brendan know about the ghost and his identity as one the First Generation cards?"

"Ah." May smiled. "We did some research these past few years, and we chanced upon an old diary. It was seemingly written by a card who was once part of a past generation."

"Did he or she specify which card and generation was he or she from?" Ethan asked, curious.

"Unfortunately... no. The diary itself was found by Steven during one of his rock excavations."

"Steven?" Lyra asked. "As in, Steven Stone? The Steven Stone?"

May chuckled, as she nodded her head, before she continued, "Steven had been a great help these past few years. If it hadn't been for him, we wouldn't have received our powers, nor would we have found the diary. The discovery was a chance encounter, you could say. Afterwards, it took us quite a while to get it examined, but the results were rather poor, I'll have to confess."

"How so?" Green inquired.

"Much of the writing could not deciphered, saved for the information on Matsuba Sei. The long years of decay had also worsened the condition of the diary. And there were pages that appeared to be deliberately torn off." She explained. "There were also brief explanations on the plates, but that was all it provided."

"I'm not wrapping my head around any of this!" Ethan groaned as he fell flat onto the bed, earning a distinct grunt of displeasure from Green, considering that the bed was his.

"What's with all these complicated mumbo-jumbo of special powers, ghosts, original human beings, and even immortals? Seriously!?" the Johto Champion moaned, before he sprang back up, his gold eyes staring at May. "But more importantly, why would one of the Lovers die? That's just stupid."

Lyra immediately pinched Ethan, chiding him for his insensitive remarks. The boy winced in pain, before he hurriedly apologizing. May merely shook her head, and the corners of the Coordinator's mouth turned up slightly. But no real signs of mirth could be identified on her face as she, as a habit, used her right hand to grip her left arm, the older girl attempting to stop the trembling that have already been noticed by the other four members and one Pikachu in the room.

"I suppose we can wrap up for now," May said. "I believe we will meet again two days later during the Welcome Party at the Indigo Plateau."

"We'll look forward to that." Green grinned, while Ethan tried not to cringe at the thought of suits and hair gel. Red seemed to sink deeper into the bed, looking glum, clearly not entertained by the very thought of socialising with anyone. He could already guess that the reason the League higher-ups had summoned him to the Indigo Plateau this evening was to have him fight, and of course, to have him get ready and announce his return to Kanto- no, to the world.

"Thank you all for your time," May ended off, before she exited the room, her footsteps light and dainty.

"She left…," Ethan gasped as he patted his chest twice. "I've been blessed."

"And yet you were such a blabbermouth!" Lyra muttered, irritated. "Read the situation, you idiot!"

"I said sorry, didn't I?" he retorted, before he faltered for a moment. "... Does one of them really have to die?"

The mood went solemn until Green spoke. "They won't... no, they can't. If either of them were to die, we will fail in our mission."

"Wait..." Red said suddenly, prompting the other three to turn to look at the trainer.

"... There's something strange about the Lovers...," Red began. "... Why are there two people in one card...?"

"Erm, because they are Lovers with an 'S'?" Green said matter-of-factly. Pikachu immediately shot a glare at Green, irritated at his proud tone.

"But it is supposed to be... twenty-two people... And there're only twenty-two cards," Red said slowly. "What if... the death of one, is to balance the numbers out?"

A loud thud sounded in the room, and all turned to look at Green, whose eyes were wide like saucers, as if he was struck with a fearsome thought.

"Pika-pi?"

"What's wrong?" Lyra said. The Gym Leader's eyes darted between the three of them, before he took in a deep breath and spoke with a dangerous tone.

"If the death of one can balance out the numbers, it is possible that, Brendan and May..."

He gritted his teeth, fists clenched tight, brows knotted into a tight frown.

"... May be here to get rid of one of us to save their own skin."

Gasps of shock and disbelief instantly emerged within the room, while Pikachu tilted his head to one side, looking confused.

"Hold right there, Green Oak!" Ethan shouted. "Get rid of one of us!? Are you doubting the Champion of Hoenn and my idol- I mean, May?"

"Yes."

"Are you kidding me?" Ethan gasped as he slapped his forehead. "They are here to help us, for Arceus's sake!

"Then why did they wait for four years before suddenly announcing that they are part of the deck?" Green argued. "Brendan said it was too early, but why? Because we're too young? That's stupid. I'm not buying it, and I'm not ready to trust them."

"You-!" Ethan go ready to yell, until he met the piercing gaze of the Gym Leader.

They glared daggers at each other for a long while, until Lyra said with arms crossed, "Boys, hold your horses."

The two stopped their glaring game, and turned to look at the girl, who sighed. "Personally, I think we should trust each other as much as possible. We already have a common enemy, which is the man called Licinius. And if we were doubt each other, we will just fall apart."

"I want to believe in everyone," she said firmly. "No matter what kind of reasons the Lovers have for revealing themselves to us at such a time, and no matter who you are or where you come from. That goes the same for every other card that is still out there."

"Suit yourself," Green muttered as he reclined himself. "You are the Hierophant, after all."

"Greeeeeeenn-," Ethan began, until Lyra grabbed him by the collar and started dragging him towards the door.

"Wait, Lyra! Let me get a piece of him!" Ethan shouted. "How dare he doubt my idol!"

"Oh, shush, you and your hot-headedness." She sighed as she shoved him out the door. She slammed the door shut quickly, locking it, while the furious pounds on the door made her click her tongue in annoyance.

"I'll deal with you later," she muttered, as she turned around, her cheeks lighting pink when she looked at the two good-looking boys. She cleared her throat, and said, "I understand where you're coming from, Green. But it won't hurt to trust him a little, since Kanto and Johto are going to work with Hoenn to fight the war."

Green stared at her for a while, before he sighed and nodded, looking rather reluctant. "I won't be fighting on the frontlines, but I will be assisting my father and the team headed by Professor Oak. See you both during the Welcome Party."

She flashed a grin, before unlocking the door and exiting quickly. Afterwards, a few groans and shouts resounded from outside, and soon it was quiet.

"Are you okay?" Green asked as he looked at his friend. "It must have been a shock."

Red took in a breath, as he rubbed his clammy hands. His father, who suddenly appeared before him ever since the start, since Mount Silver, and now this.

"..." Red then nodded his head, forcefully, as cold sweat rolled down his forehead.

"Don't stress yourself out too much over it." The Gym Leader muttered. "Take it slowly, okay?"

"... Yeah." Red uttered, before he reached out for his bag then was sitting at the bed post.

Green sighed, and then glanced at the clock that hung on the wall.

"One hour," the Gym Leader said as he turned to Red, who tried to distract himself by feeding a berry to Pikachu. "Any plans?"

The trainer paused, his finger holding onto the berry that was inches away from the mouse, who flailed his arms to grab the snack. The trainer muttered a sheepish sorry, and quickly gave the berry to the mouse, saving himself from electrocution. As Pikachu savored the snack, the trainer turned to his friend.

"... I have to go... to the Indigo Plateau... at seven o'clock in the evening..."

Green chuckled as he propped one leg up. "About time for the League to come for you."

Red groaned, his shoulders sagging down, while Pikachu patted the boy's messy hair.

"I don't like the League's treatment towards you, either," Green sighed. "Remember I mentioned before that the League abolished the rule that the Champion had to fight challengers everyday?"

Red shuddered a little at the thought of it, and nodded in reply.

"To add on," Green said as he frowned. "I found out that they also set up that specific rule immediately after the Kanto League Championship Finals, you know... our match."

"And because the rules had been pretty much forgotten by the populace, and it has been a while since a Champion was crowned, no one really questioned the existence of such a rule."

Red pursed his lips, while Pikachu lightly jumped down his shoulders and curled himself up on his trainer's lap.

"It's as if the rule was created just for you," Green said as he stared at his friend, who lowered his head, the trainer habitually pushing his cap downwards to hide his eyes. Clearing his throat, the Viridian City Gym Leader then added, "But that aside, I assume you're free in the afternoon?"

Red nodded his head.

"Great. Let's go," Green said as he stood up, stretching his body.

"... Where?"

"Hmm?" The boy glanced at his friend, before he dropped his jaw open. "You forgot about them?"

"...Who?" Asked Red, looking surprised.

Green sighed, smacking his face with his palm.

"Your Legen-"

A few knocks on the door interrupted the conversation, and Green hurriedly walked towards it, slightly irritated. The moment he swung the wooden door open, he stopped, as a slightly taller figure stood before him.

"Hello," Brendan said.

"Oh," Green replied, his eyes narrowing. "It's you."

"Sorry to intrude," he began. "Do both of you have any plans in the afternoon?"

"Yes," Green said.

"... No…," Red said at the same time.

Green buried his face into his palm, as he grumbled incoherent words. He turned around, temples throbbing as he said, his voice loud, "We do have plans!"

"... Which is?" Red asked. "You didn't manage to finish... what you were trying to say..."

"To get back the Kanto Legendary Pokémon that you let go three years ago, you... Fool!" Green shouted in the spur of the moment, clearly ticked off by how forgetful Red could get.

"Legendary Pokémon?"

Green turned over, just to see the Hoenn Champion looking more eager than ever. Brendan grinned, genuinely excited.

"Oh, we can handle it by ourselves," Green said, as he waved his hand. "I'm sure you're busy, Champion of Hoenn."

"Well, I could say the same to you, Gym Leader," Brendan said calmly. "Besides, I'm in Johto now, my duties don't really matter until the other Hoenn trainers come here tomorrow."

"I've closed the Gym for today," Green said with a visible scowl. "What about May? Don't leave your girlfriend waiting."

Brendan's face fell, as he bit his lower lip. He let out a despondent sigh.

"Actually... I'm not planning to see her for the rest of the day," he said hesitantly. "We need some time to... calm down... and think after all that... well, you know."

"And?" Green murmured, quirking his brow as he looked at the older trainer warily.

"I don't know my way around Johto, and I thought I could use someone's help. Ethan and Lyra had rushed off before I got to say anything-"

"So you came to us," Green concluded.

"Well, that's the gist of it," Brendan agreed.

"Too bad, we're from Kanto," Green said monotonously, the Gym Leader not feeling very welcoming towards Brendan. "We know next to nothing about Johto."

"Oh, you jest," Brendan chuckled.

"Clearly I am not."

"... We're going to Kanto," Red spoke.

"Oh?"

"Red!" Green gasped.

"..." Red looked up at Brendan, who took out a Poké Ball from his pocket.

"I don't mind flying over to Kanto. I can help with getting back your Legendaries," he offered. "I know I may sound pushy, but I'm quite desperate to get a guide without exposing my identity. I'm not supposed to be here in the first place."

Red observed the Champion who was standing at the door from tip to toe, then fixated his gaze onto the Pokéball. Pikachu was similarly staring at that particular Poké Ball intensely, while little zaps of electricity leaked out from his red cheeks.

Perhaps he was a tad bit interested towards what kind of Pokémon Brendan Yūki has.

"... I don't see a problem…," he uttered, while Green was ready to object to it, but a glance from his friend made him sigh, the trainer clearly reluctant to go with the idea.

"Thank you, Red, Green," Brendan said, before he extended a hand out. "I hope we get along."

"I sincerely hope we do," Green drawled, not even trying to hide his sarcasm, and he returned the Hoenn Champion's handshake with a tight grip. Brendan seemed to be unsurprised towards the trainer's rather hostile attitude, as he merely smiled a little.

Afterwards, after Brendan decided to go off to the lobby to wait for them, and while it did not take long for Red and Green to pack whatever they have into their backpacks, it did not stop Green from having a dark look on his face. Sure, he did not trust Brendan all that much, but Red's odd choice to allow the trainer to tag along puzzled and annoyed him.

"...Give him a chance," Red said as he folded his red vest and shoved it into his bag. He had opted to wear just his sleeveless black shirt and blue denim pants.

"Tch, fine." Green muttered, as he ruffled his hair. He donning a dark juniper green wide-neck shirt, and beige shorts that reached his knees. He seem to pause for quite a while, causing Red to glance at his friend quizzically, only to see Green staring at his pendant dolefully. The accessory was of a light blue color with dark blue streaks of color marbling around the stone.

"... Green," Red called out, concerned. The Gym Leader broke out of his reverie, and quickly wound the accessory around his neck. With a click, the clasp snapped close and he looked up at Red.

"Let's go."

Green Oak then hurriedly slung his bag over his shoulder and with large steps, headed for the door. Red gazed at his back, as he suddenly reminded something Sei had told him right before he disappeared. Something the ghost had forbid him from telling anyone else.

 _"This is an advice specifically for you, Number Zero, The Fool. You can choose to take it, or leave it. But listen carefully."  
_  
Red's blood went cold, but he willed himself to stand up and follow after Green, while Pikachu tilted his head to the side, puzzled as to why his trainer looked so pale all of a sudden.

 _"Beware of Green Oak."  
_  
As Green locked the door, Red felt the urge to say something to his friend, anything at all, but his mouth was slack, and all he could muster, was silence.

 _"Because the betrayer of the First Generation, was Licinius."  
_  
The trainer glanced at side profile of Green, where he could see the inconspicuous "I" tattoo as clear as day.

 _"Number I, The Magician."_


	25. Chapter 25: Elimination

Elimination

Humans are an annoying bunch.

They get content with whatever they have, and then the next moment, they start lamenting on what they do not have. They can get happy one second, and the next moment, sad and blue. They can get angry for trivial reasons, and then pleasant for others. They are of many different colors, and that was what I could never comprehend.

They lavish in luxury, yet they crave for more, and more, and more. I was born from their avarice, from their knowledge, from their violence. I was programmed to be a battling monster, created from science, created from hate, created from the hands of men who were never satisfied.

And I despised it. I despised humans.

I do not want to have anything to do with them.

 _Someday, a child will come for you,_ Mew had said. _Be his strength._

I scoffed at its words. I belong to no one. I am of my own strength, never of others'. I said such words to Mew, my origin, my 'parent', and it merely chuckled and left. It was never one to care for others, and never one to care about anything. And that goes the same for me.

I stayed in the Cerulean Cave, certain that no one would come.

No one _dared_ to come.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me," Green groaned as he lifted his foot and found strands of sticky goo on his shoes. He cursed slightly, before he shone the flashlight towards the inky darkness. Meanwhile, Red and Brendan stayed quiet as the trio continued to walk forward. Frankly, they did not have much idea on where they were going, but they had no other choice.

After grabbing lunch, and barely hiding from the public's view, the three trainers had managed to sneak their way into Cerulean Cave, and for the past two hours, they had been trekking around the area, all dirtied with sweat and grime. A strange smell lingered in the air, and Green was especially disgusted by it, as he would pinch his nose and try not to breathe. Pikachu, on the other hand, pouted, displeased about his half-filled stomach.

Meanwhile, Brendan was simply observing the gritty and lumpy walls of the cave, all the while giving a small smile.

 _Steven would love this place,_ he remarked in his head.

"Red, how much further?" Green muttered, feeling cranky.

Yet Red had no idea on how and where should he find Mewtwo in this deep, dark, and dangerous cave, and could only shake his head. Green sighed as he pointed the light forward, and the three of them continued to traverse the path.

"Mewtwo is a Psychic Type, right?" Brendan asked, as he frowned a little.

Red glanced to the trainer before he nodded his head in reply.

"You could try calling it, if that's the case," the Hoenn Champion suggested. "Chances are, it may hear you, and come."

"Let's try it," Green murmured as he noticed that the path led to a wide empty corner of the floor. "I'm sick of walking around in caves."

The Viridian City Gym Leader then stood there, his flashlight pointing towards the middle, while Red hesitantly shuffled forward, as he scanned the area.

"Well, go on," Green said as he shook the light. "We don't have all day."

"... But…," Red began, before he glanced back the empty spot. "...How do I call him...?"

Green groaned out loud, before he smacked his forehead, murmuring incomprehensible comments, while Brendan tried to suppress a laugh.

"Well, I don't know?" Green sneered. "Perhaps we should ask the trainer who nearly released it in the first place?"

"Pika pika!" the electric mouse squeaked, annoyed.

"Oh, and I totally will not judge if you start saying 'hey, Mewtwo, it's me, your lovely trainer'. Yes, I totally won't," Green added with a smug look on his face, while Brendan chuckled in response to the boy's sarcasm.

Red glared at Green for a while, before he sighed, and turned towards the empty space that was dimly lit by the flashlight.

Taking in a deep breath, his chest rose.

"Mewtwo! It's me, Red!" he yelled, while Green chortled in laughter at the back, causing the light to shake a little. Red got ready to turn around and tell him off, until the ground shook.

The three of them immediately gasped, and instinctively, all three grabbed hold of their Poké Balls, while Pikachu jumped down to the ground and let out a battle cry, ready to confront the Pokémon that was undoubtedly coming their way. The rocks tumbled, and the ceiling vibrated violently.

"Sceptile!"

"Arcanine!"

"Charizard!"

In that instant, three bright lights materialized into three Pokémon, which all let out a collective, fearsome roar, that shook the ground even harder. Sceptile, the reptilian, bipedal Forest Pokémon, arched its tail as it got ready to face the foe. Arcanine, its majestic figure was in a fighting stance, its teeth menacing and violent-looking. Charizard, who growled, the fire on his tail turning slightly redder than usual.

A ginormous thud cracked the ground without warning, rendering the three trainers to nearly lose their balance, and Brendan quickly unleashed a few metal chains, his body glowing with a silver light.

"Get behind me!" he shouted urgently while the cracks extended out, circling around the trainers and Pokémon.

"I can handle myself just fine, Champion!" Green yelled, feeling rather irked that he had to be protected. He then clicked his tongue and tried to hold on tighter to his flashlight. A strong draft blew, and all of them tried to hold their footing as a fearsome aura resounded from all around the cave

"...It's coming!" Red cried out before the three trainers braced themselves for the Legendary Pokémon to reveal itself.

The ground stopped shaking, the cave utterly soundless. None of the the trainers and Pokémon present dared to breathe, as before them, a pair intimidating, savage-looking eyes peered at them. Green carefully raised his flashlight, shining the light upon the Pokémon standing before them.

It was a bipedal, humanoid creature, primarily gray with a long, purple tail. On top of its head were two short, blunt horns, and a tube extended from the back of its skull to the top of its spine, bypassing its neck. It has a defined chest and shoulders, thick and muscular thighs, making it very powerful even in its appearance.

"... Mewtwo," Red uttered as he stepped forward. "It's me."

The Legendary Pokémon then eyed the human cautiously, before its eyes lit up in genuine surprise. It started striding towards them, prompting Green and Brendan to back away, alert and cautious.

"... It's alright," Red said with an assuring tone. Mewtwo was now erect before all three of them, and the bloodlust in his eyes a few seconds ago had seemingly disappeared.

 _You look different_ , it spoke via telepathy _. Is this what you humans call growing up?_

"... Yes... I suppose," Red answered, amused.

Mewtwo let out a laugh, stunning the other two trainers, who were befuddled that such a vicious Pokémon would be capable of laughing. Brendan finally relaxed his shoulders, and retracted his chains, while Green recalled Arcanine and stood there, observing. Meanwhile, Sceptile and Charizard regarded each other with polite nods, before both silently watched Mewtwo.

Mewtwo glowed purple for a while, and the next instant, five Ultra Balls appeared in his hands. He twirled the floating capsules, and glancing at Red, he passed all five to him.

 _I believe these are yours._

With a smile, Red took the Ultra Balls, and the trainer then looked into the eyes of Mewtwo, who seemed to freeze for a little, clearly not used to a human being staring him straight in the eye.

 _So, what do you plan to do, human?_

The trainer pursed his lips, before he replied, "...War is breaking out..."

Mewtwo paused, as it studied the trainer's expression, which was a mix of confusion, agitation and determination. Yet, it was this trainer who had conquered him, and was one of the better humans it had the fortune of meeting. The Pokémon stared into his crimson eyes, which held a certain power that had garnered the Legendary's respect those few years ago, after it was defeated by this young child.

"... Be my strength, Mewtwo," Red said as he extended a hand.

Mewtwo glanced at the boy's hands, suddenly remembering Mew's words. A rare, distinct smile emerged on its stern countenance, and it returned its hand to the boy.

 _Gladly_.

* * *

In the vile darkness of the study, a single man paced around, his eyes luminously lighting up the room. He groaned, out of pain, as he clutched his chest, and cursed vehemently, an unspeakable hatred washing over him. At the same time, next to the door, the man made no noise while he watched his master trying to suppress the pain that had been torturing his body.

"Master," Brutus finally said as his master collapsed into his chair with a lethargic sigh. The pain had finally ceased, and the man released the tight grip on his chest. His face was distorted, mad, and utterly hostile, a frightening and deadly bloodlust oozing out from the man, as he gripped the armrests, nearly crushing it.

"Neo... That scum...," the man muttered gruffly. "He's still going against me."

"Master," Brutus spoke up once more, but the man did not seem to hear him.

"Just because he's slightly more powerful, he thinks he can control me?" his master said with a sneer, a horrifying smile forming on his lips. "What nerve!"

He started to laugh softly, wickedly, his shoulders shaking slightly, before he broke out into a loud, nasty guffaw. Brutus stood unmoving next to the door.

"Once this plan is complete, once I recover whatever that man stole from me," he breathed in a dangerous tone. "They will pay, every last one of them."

He glanced up, and his eyes narrowed mockingly when he looked at the butler. "Our game, Brutus, will be most exciting, won't you agree?"

"Yes, Sire," the butler agreed with a nod, before he gazed at his master and continued, "I have something to report, Sire."

The man rested his head on his clenched fist, his eyes wide and vicious-looking, and he murmured monotonously, "What is it."

"It's seven o'clock in the evening," Brutus answered.

The man seemed to straighten himself up, his hands shaking with trepidation while the smile stretched further across his face, his teeth starking white, filling the room with fear.

"Sire, Red has arrived at the Indigo Plateau."

* * *

The receptionist was staring up and down, at the piece of paper in her hand, at the teenage trainer that was standing in front of her, and at the cute yet familiar Pikachu that was perching on the trainer's shoulder. Her fingers shook harder than she thought as she looked through the database, and when she saw the invited visitors list, she scrolled down carefully, freezing the moment she saw a name. Even though the higher-ups had inform her that a special visitor was coming to the Indigo Plateau, she had expected it to be one of the Elite Four, or a Gym Leader.

But never would she have thought that this special visitor, is the missing former Champion, Red.

"Please come with me," she said, keeping her tone professional, even though her legs feel like jelly and she could not believe what was happening. The trainer before her nodded his head, while Pikachu let out a soft growl, and when she stood up, she caught a clearer glimpse of his countenance, realizing that the once young child was now mature-looking, with few signs of his past self remaining.

The two of them started walking towards one of the rooms, and Red felt goosebumps all over his skin the moment the nervousness got to him. The receptionist opened one of the blue doors, and with a shaky word of thanks, he hurried in, just to see a man sitting inside on one of the four armchairs, with a black and modern-looking coffee table positioned between the armchairs.

"Welcome, Red," the man said with a smile.

"... Hello... Clyde," the trainer said, recognizing the man as one of the head Gym Guides, and a key personnel in the Indigo League. He was rather plain-looking, and has a businessman feel to him as he courteously smiled back to Red.

"Take a seat."

Red nodded, before he walked around, and sat down, his whole body rigid and tense. Pikachu lightly jumped down from his shoulders, landing snugly onto the adjacent armchair, and he let out a satisfied cry.

"We have heard much about your side of things from Professor Oak, the Viridian City Gym Leader, and Champion Ethan himself," Clyde began. "The League also does understand that you have your own plans."

"..." Red gave the man a knowing look, his red eyes wide and clear. Clyde's expression softened slightly, and he nodded in return.

"I shall go straight to the point, former Champion Red," Clyde said, as he interlocked his fingers tightly.

"The League wish to borrow your prowess in Pokémon battling, in the upcoming war against Deoxys," he said calmly. "As a decorated trainer who was inducted into the Hall of Fame three years ago, with a record of having a total of four Legendary Pokémon and one mythical Pokémon, an estimated three hundred and forty-eight official League battles won during your reign, your presence and abilities will greatly assist us."

"... Four Legendary…," Red said softly.

"Pardon?"

"... Mew is a free-spirited Pokémon...," Red explained, as he remembered that two hours ago, when Mewtwo had conveniently teleported all three of them to the various locations of three Legendary Birds resided, they were however, unable to pinpoint Mew's location. The trainer himself decided that, considering Mew's nature, there will be no need to bring such a carefree Pokémon to battle.

So, after retrieving his four Legendary Pokémon, the three trainers had dinner together. They then bid each other farewell, with Brendan saying that he will have to return to his temporary residence for tonight, since most of the Hoenn trainers would arrive early dawn the next morning, and he would have to wait till tomorrow before he was transferred to the hotel where all the Hoenn trainers would stay at.

Green, on the other hand, left for Viridian City, and reminded Red to come over to his Gym to stay for the night before both of them prepare and head over to the party together the next evening.

"It's time for you to spice up your fashion sense, and wear a suit," his friend had declared before he flew off on his Pidgeot.

Meanwhile, Clyde merely smiled, and said, "No worries, but that aside, I implore you to assist us. Personally, I believe that the League's previous administration was rather lacking, which was perhaps one of the reason for your sudden disappearance, and for that," the man then bowed deeply, hands on his thighs as he said, "on behalf of the League, I apologise."

Red's eyes narrowed as he remembered Green's words.

"...Who made the change... in the system...?" he asked.

Clyde looked up, surprised, and he uncomfortably sat up straight, before he answered, "It was the previous Director."

"...The previous Director...?"

"Yes...," Clyde said hesitantly. "No one knew what made him change it so suddenly. Many objected to it, but he is the one who makes the final call, so the system altered the way he ordered it to. He has since left office, and our current Director was elected right after your disappearance."

"But even so, it was under our jurisdiction, and the mistake lies with us. We are very sorry for the excess work we had forced upon you three years ago," Clyde said as he bowed once again. "Currently, you are no longer directly associated with us, but we hope that you can lend us a hand."

Red stared at the earnest man, whose head was down as he seeked for the teenager's forgiveness.

"...I accept," he said finally. Clyde looked up, his eyes filled with gratitude, and he bowed deeper than before.

"Thank you, Red."

Suddenly, Clyde sat up straight, looking surprised, and he quickly excused himself, and went off to the corner of the room to take a call. A few murmurs and nods of his head, he returned back to his seat, his phone in hand.

"The Director wish to speak to you," he said, and clearing his throat, he passed the device to Red, who grabbed hold of it gingerly, and put the speaker next to his ear.

"...Hello...?" he said, and a strange noise greeted from the other end.

"Good evening, Red."

At that instant, the trainer's blood ran cold, his hair standing on end, his irises turning a startling red, while Pikachu's ear perked up, the Pokémon noticing that something was wrong.

He had heard this voice before.

A cold, hard, emotionless voice that had haunted one of his dreams.

 _You don't amount to anything, boy._

His heartbeat sped up, and he gasped, cold sweat running down his skin. He swallowed a lump down his throat, and softly, fearfully, he asked, "Who... are you...?"

"You know who I am, Zero."

Red's grip on the phone tightened while the strange noise continued to reverberate from the speaker. Red had gone absolutely still, causing both Clyde and Pikachu to stare at the trainer incredulously.

"The game, has begun," the voice continued. "And the first player to be eliminated is-"

A loud beep followed, and suddenly another voice spoke, this one sounding cheerful and friendly.

"Good evening, Red!" the new voice said. "I apologise, there was a short interruption, I hope I did not keep you waiting."

Red gasped, as he took in short breaths, and Clyde gazed at the trainer worriedly, wondering what had happened to make the trainer to appear so frightened.

"It's...," he said, lips quivering. "... Alright."

"Good, good," the Director said happily. "I'm a new Pokémon League Director, and I'm still rather wet behind the ears. Regardless, thank you, Champion Red, for helping us to fight this crisis."

"..."

"A Champion of few words, as I've heard," the Director commented lightly. "Clyde will brief you quickly on our mode of action, later. I will see you tomorrow at the Welcome Party."

"...Yes."

They exchanged words of farewell, and finally the call ended.

"Is something wrong, Red?" Clyde asked, concerned while he retrieved his phone. "You're awfully pale."

Red stayed quiet for a while, contemplating whether he should tell Clyde, and the man gazed at him, worried.

"... There was an interruption...," Red said slowly. "... And someone else spoke to me."

"What?" Clyde exclaimed, shocked. "Who was it? And what did he say?"

Red glanced at the man, and shook his head. Clyde pursed his lips, and scrolled through his call log.

"I will have someone look into this," Clyde said as he looked through his phone.

"No... there's no need to..."

"We have to, Red." Clyde corrected. "The League has not yet inform the other trainers, but we are suspecting that Deoxys' heightened cloning abilities is scientifically enhanced, meaning that-"

"Someone... is instigating the war," Red concluded, his face looking grim, while Pikachu nudged his trainer, looking rather perturbed by Red's conflicted expression.

"You catch on quick, Red," Clyde said. "To be honest with you, we have been experiencing strange technical problems for the past six months, such as frequent electricity shortages, and interruptions on our local radio waves. The Goldenrod City Radio Tower nearly went out of commission three weeks back. And we are guessing that, something, someone, is hijacking our electricity sources to fuel something."

"Is it... Deoxys's cloning?"

Clyde tightened his fists, and he replied, "Yes. That's why we need to gather whatever clue, any sort of data we can retrieve, such as that call interruption."

"... I see," Red said, thinking, before he looked up at Clyde and slowly, he asked, "Can I ask you... something...?"

"Oh, sure," Clyde replied.

"The Ruins of Alph... One of them collapsed, a few days ago…," Red said, as he tried to stop the trembling, and to stop thinking of the scary scene of where the rocks were tumbling onto him, nearly trapping and killing him inside, had not the Unown saved him.

"How did you know?" Clyde suddenly asked, the man having a stunned expression. "No one should know..."

"I was caught in the collapse…," Red explained. "I... was there... inside... when it exploded..."

Clyde gasped, as he clapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh, my Arceus. Were you hurt?"

Red shook his head, and Clyde breathed a sigh of relief.

"Actually," Clyde said. "The explosion was done under the League's name."

"...!"

"But, the odd thing was, we didn't know who exactly ordered it to be demolished," Clyde said, as he gritted his teeth. "Someone overwrote a part of our system, and installed a bomb in that specific Ruin, resulting in some confusion in our database. A few of our staff had to go there, and we found the place to be strangely cordoned off under the League's authority. And when we discovered the ruin, it was too late; the whole thing had collapsed entirely."

"..."

"Were you the only one present when it collapsed?" Clyde inquired.

Red acknowledged with a nod.

"We will look into it," the man murmured, looking distraught. "I'm sorry for putting you into harm's way... The problems had just been increasing, and it may not be obvious, but the League has our hands full on trying to handle all of them. Even the Elite Four and the Champion, we owe a lot to them."

"... Ethan?"

"Yes, he may not look like it, but he is quite a capable child," Clyde said with a satisfied smile. "However, we dare not push too many responsibilities onto him considering his age, so we have been rather busy ourselves. That aside, Champion Red, we should get back on track."

With that, the man took out his briefcase, which had been sitting harmlessly next to him. He took out a piece of paper, and slid it across the coffee table. The paper showed a blueprint of a large building, and Red scanned through it, wondering what it was.

"For the past six months, the League has been collaborating with Silph Co. to creating a training facility, hidden from view of the public. It will be our main information and relay centre during the war, and it is located underground in an empty plot of land, with the nearest route being Route 14, and the nearest city being Fuchsia."

"...Is that the forested area... near the Safari Zone?"

"Yes," Clyde said with a smile. "I'm surprised that you will know that place. Not many would expect the training and war preparation facility to be built there, I suppose. It is quite secluded, after all, and well, our Director has took the liberty to name it."

Clyde chuckled, "'The Ghostship'. A rather befitting name, in my opinion. That aside, I have to one last thing to say."

Red and Pikachu exchanged glances, both already knowing what the man was about to tell them.

"It's about having a formal announcement on your return to the public," Clyde said as he observed the tired looks on both Pokémon and trainer. "The League understand your circumstances, and your reluctance, but trust me, announcing your return will makes things much easier for all parties. There have been rumors about you floating about, and the League will need to register you in order to grant you mobility, but if we do that, the rumors will just increase, and it will-" Clyde stopped short, as he gazed at the outstretched arm of the former Champion.

"I... understand," Red said, while Pikachu glanced back and forth at both humans. "...Tell me what I have to do."

Clyde clasped both hands together, and went off to explain, "The League plans to release the news after the Welcome Party itself, first, to prevent a flood of reporters at our doorstep during the event itself, and second, to give you some time to prepare, both mentally and physically. We will then hold a press conference shortly afterwards, and you will be required to show your face, and answer a few questions. That'll be all, and please leave the rest to us. We will ensure that your reputation and privacy will not be compromised."

Clyde then gazed at the former Champion, who readjusted his cap, and for a moment there, the man forgot to breathe when he saw how red the trainer's eyes were. It was a calm, dignified color in his irises.

"I accept," Red replied.

* * *

"How did it go?" Green said, smirking. His friend sighed for a long while, and merely shook his head. Green was already wearing a simple blue shirt and casual pants, and his Gym was already closed for the day.

"... I'm beat," Red replied lethargically, while Pikachu nodded sluggishly in agreement. The mouse was clearly tired, his eyelids already on the verge of closing.

Green chuckled, before he extended a hand out, introducing the trainer to the place.

"Welcome to the Viridian City Gym," Green said proudly. Red and Pikachu blinked their eyes in surprise as the interior of the Gym greeted them. It had dark, metallic walls that had sleek looking protrusions that added a futuristic touch, and a chic looking floor, except that there were various arrows in blue, red and yellow pointing at different directions, clearly a sliding sort of puzzle. Blue lines zigzagged around the floor, giving the gym a sci-fi feel.

"Cool, right?" Green said. "Took me ages to think of this design."

Red eyed his friend, and then glanced back at the interior design of the Gym. This was true Green Oak-style.

"It's... alright," he muttered. "But... not my cup of tea..."

Green Oak's face fell, looking almost shocked that his friend did not appreciate the coolness and modernistic look of the Gym. He grumbled a little, before he glanced at his Xtransceiver, which displayed the time.

"Well then, since it's not your cup of tea, I suppose the great Red wouldn't want to stay here for the night," he said with a mocking tone. Red shot him a glare, and Green simply smirked back. The Gym Leader then waved his hand, and started walking across the Gym. Red tagged along behind, and before long, they exited to the back of the Gym, where a a few bedrooms, a kitchen, and living room were hidden.

"I took it upon myself to add a few rooms," Green explained. "I wouldn't want to travel back and forth between Viridian and Pallet."

Red glanced at the various furniture, which were simplistic yet modern-looking. The color scheme was also much less fancy than the Gym arena, and Red gave an approving nod.

"Your room's that way, and mine's this one," Green said as he pointed to the rooms. "Rest up, we've got shopping to do, and a party to go to tomorrow."

"...Shopping?" Red exclaimed, surprised.

"Well, you wouldn't want to wear those clothes to a party where three regions worth of trainers are coming to gather, amiright?" hesaid, opening the door to his bedroom, before he let out a huge yawn. He waved his hands, and said, "Well, I've left a change of clothes in your room, feel free to use the shower."

Green Oak yawned once again, and ruffled his hair as he muttered, "Good night."

With that, he swung his door shut. Meanwhile, Pikachu was crawling slowly on the floor towards the bedroom, too tired to even stand properly.

"...Oh, you rascal," Red chuckled, as he picked up the Pokémon, and carried the yellow mouse towards the other room.

"Pika…," the mouse moaned. Red swung open the door, and gently put the Pokémon onto the bed, and he himself fell flat onto the furniture. He stared at the plain ceiling, as he remembered whatever had happened that day.

The ghost told him not to trust Green.

He glanced at the snoozing Pikachu, and he frowned slightly, before he sat up and gazed at the door.

Yet he wanted to trust him.

 _The game has begun, and the first player to be eliminated is-_

Red buried his face into his hands, as he tried to calm down. He took off his glove, and stared at the tattoo on his hand, feeling so drowned in a sea of questions, and unable to sort out his thoughts.

"Who...?" he muttered, yet no one could answer.


	26. Chapter 26: The Grand Opening

The Grand Opening

His eyes opened blearily, and he dazedly gazed at the plain ceiling, the sound of birds chirping clearing his head. His pose was all weird, his shirt pulled up so high that he was exposing his belly. He groaned, and heaved himself up to stare, blankly, out of the window, his head trying to compute and discern his current location. Pikachu was still curled up in a ball at the corner of the bed, and the trainer left him be and headed towards the door, staggering as he tried to fight off sleep.

Out of habit, he scratched his neck and suppressed a yawn, his shoulders rolling back in an attempt to warm up for the day. After swinging open the door, he looked up, just to see Green Oak opening his own bedroom door. Green's hair was flat, the usual spike clearly gone without his trusty hair gel. The two teenage boys looked at each other for a long while, trying to register who the other person was.

"...Morning…," both finally said in unison before the two of them shuffled towards the toilet. At the entrance, they bumped into each other's shoulders, and Green immediately shot Red a glare.

"My house, my toilet. I'll go first," he growled, looking irritated.

"I'm the guest…," Red retorted as he tried to squeeze in. "...I'll go first."

"No, I'm first!"

"No... I came first!"

The two started to wrestle each other, Red pushing Green's face away, Green grabbing Red's arm and trying to land a punch onto him. They fought for a bit, and after finally deciding that neither was going to win such a meaningless fight, both came to compromise to wash up and use the sink together.

After a while, both trainers were done dressing up, Red wearing a casual white shirt and pants, while Green wore a wide-necked dark green shirt and ripped jeans. Even the Gym Leader's hair was back to usual, after he had spent quite some time styling it.

"So... where are we going?" Red asked as he tied his sneakers, Pikachu perching on his shoulders.

Green smirked, and then explained, "First, we'll shop for something stylish at Celadon. Then we'll go to a hair salon, and afterwards, straight to the party."

"Aren't we... too early...?"

"Bro, it's already eleven o'clock," Green pointed out. "We've slept plenty."

The next moment, both left the Viridian City Gym via the backdoor, and without further ado, Red let out his Charizard, while Green let out his Pidgeot, and both trainers were soon flying through the skies towards Celadon City.

* * *

"Magnifique, oh, tout simplement magnifique!" the shop owner cried out as he did a flamboyant twirl. His eyes sparkled as he saw the wonder of how well his suits looked on the two young trainers. He could recognize one of them as the Viridian City Gym Leader, although the other looked familiar but the man could not quite get a hand on where he had seen the young boy.

"These are pretty nice," Green said with a satisfied grin. His outfit composed of a grey suit jacket, which had the perfect cutting and showed off his broad shoulders, a white dress shirt, an eye-catching blue-green tie, and a pair of grey trousers. Even the shoes were sleek, stylish but comfortable to wear.

"...I'm not too sure about this…," Red muttered as he glanced at his own outfit, then at Pikachu, who shrugged his shoulders. The electric mouse did not understand fashion, after all.

"Monsieur, you look superbe!" the shop owner cried out, a french accent rolling off his tongue. "Even in Kalos, I had never seen such a perfect fit on anyone! Look into le miroir, Monsieur, look into le miroir!"

The shop owner pushed Red towards one of the mirrors, and pointed excitedly at the trainer's reflection. Red looked at it, and could not quite believe that he would ever be so well-dressed in his whole life. His suit jacket, trousers and shoes were black, his tie striped with black and dark grey, while his dress shirt was of a maroon red, which complemented his eyes surprisingly well.

"...I guess…," he murmured, as he glanced at Green.

"How much?" the Gym Leader asked. The shop owner squealed as he danced towards the cashier.

"Monsieur, I am in such a good mood!" he sang. "I shall give the two of you a discount, let me see... the total is nine hundred thousand Pokédollars."

Both trainers froze, while Pikachu glanced at their stoney expressions.

"Hey, mister," Green suddenly said as he strode over and banged his fist onto the counter, nearly creating a dent. "Could you repeat the price?"

"It's nine hundred-"

"Six," Green hissed. "Your suits are overpriced."

"But monsieur, they are h-handmade!" the shop owner protested. "I need to make a living-"

"The average cost of making a suit is less than a hundred thousand, and even if yours are handmade, they won't cost you more than two hundred thousand. Surely a profit of two hundred thousand for each suit can help you survive—no, live in luxury?" Green said as he glared at the shop owner, who was now cowering in fear behind the counter.

"A-Alright, eight-"

"Six." Green inched closer, menacing.

"S-Seven?"

"Six," the Gym Leader emphasized one last time, and with that, the shop owner finally gave in.

* * *

"Two hours spent on shopping," Green murmured. "An hour on lunch, and now, we're left with only three more hours."

"..." Red stared at his friend, who looked somewhat worried. The two of them were now heading down the shopping district, each with two bags of clothing and shoes. Their next and final destination was the hair salon.

"...It's just hair…," he said softly.

"Precisely!" Green said, agitated. "It's because it is the hair, that I need the hair salon! And you! That bedhead, those abominable strands that are sticking out, they have to be removed at all costs!"

The Gym Leader pointed accusingly at Red's hair, and the trainer sighed. At the corner of his eye, he noticed a crowd forming before a big advertising screen atop one of the buildings, as many were pointing towards it with awe and amazement. He looked up, and Green did the same, just to see a news reporter announcing the arrival of the Hoenn trainers.

"The Hoenn trainers have arrived this morning at Vermilion City in Kanto, on the S.S. Anne. Currently, the estimated number of trainers is sixty," the female reporter said. "And right now, we have the Hoenn Champion with us."

Brendan was soon displayed on the screen, multiple mics before him.

"Pfft," Green chuckled. "That guy is pretending to have arrived today, what a joke."

"...Don't be mean, Oak Junior..." Red lightly commented, causing Green's cheek to turn red out of embarrassment, and the male punched his friend in annoyance.

"So, Champion of Hoenn, what are your thoughts about the clash between Deoxys and the regions?" another reporter asked.

"It is definitely something unexpected and worrying," Brendan answered calmly. "But I am sure that with our collective effort, we will be able minimize damage and bring home a big victory."

"What are your thoughts about Johto and Kanto?"

"Oh, it's a beautiful place. I would love to see how much my hometown has changed."

"Lies," Green murmured. "He has obviously seen it yesterday."

"Are there any trainers you would like to meet during today's Welcome Party?"

"I would like to meet the Johto Champion," Brendan said with a smile. "I've heard many things about him."

"Lies, again," Green drawled. "He met Ethan yesterday and has first-hand experience on how annoying that kid was."

"...It's for the media…," Red reasoned.

"I know that," Green spat. "I just wanted to diss him."

"... Mean."

"Oh, shut up," Green sighed, before he started walking off. "Let's go, my hair needs styling."

* * *

The Indigo Plateau was bustling with well-dressed trainers, from crimson silk ballgowns and stylish suits to casual attires and the Main Hall itself was resplendent with majestic colors of red, gold and white. The area was massive, with the hardwood flooring gleaming with a shine that enhanced the glow of the whole place. A glittering chandelier hung high up at the ceiling, radiating a warm, cheerful light that was further justified by the soft, relaxed music. A plethora of food was set upon the white, clean buffet tables, the aroma of the delicacies enticing many trainers to gather around. Many Pokémon were also roaming around with their trainers, some hogging the buffet table filled with Pokémon snacks and desserts. Conversations popped out at every corner, while the gigantic ornate doors swung open, and the chattering stopped instantly.

The appearance of the many famous trainers of both the Kanto and Johto regions ignited many gasps and cheers. Falkner, Bugsy, Jasmine, Misty, Erika, Brock, Janine walked in, a formidable aura surrounding the group of strong trainers. All of them wore former, beautiful clothing fit for the occasion, and were exchanging few words among themselves.

Following after, one by one entered the venue. Morty sported a casual attire, his scarf around his neck as he sauntered in, while Whitney was trying very hard to move around in her dress. The other Gym Leaders came in, and it was when Lance and Clair strode in that many started pointing at the Dragon Master out of surprise and excitement.

Soon, the Elite Four made their entrance, with Koga still wearing his ninja attire, Bruno donning an oversized suit, Will strutting in with his queer bartender outfit, and Karen was a show-stopper with her gorgeous looks.

Now, the only missing Kanto trainers were the Champion, and the Viridian City Gym Leader. Many held their breaths, awaiting for the two strong trainers to come in.

Two figures slowly moved in, and everyone's eyes were instantly fixated onto them expectantly.

Green smartly walked in, his charming appearance earning squeals from many female trainers, but he wasn't worried about himself as he glanced at the other trainer who was hesitantly walking in, looking extremely nervous.

"Relax," Green said.

"... But," Red said as he tried to keep walking. "Everyone's staring..."

The Viridian City Gym Leader turned his head around and looked at the crowd, realizing that almost all of trainers were gazing at Red.

"Who is that?" Misty asked. "He looks... kinda familiar."

"He looks good," Karen commented as she fiddled with her hair. "My agency has been trying to get Green Oak to model for us, and with that other boy, they'll be thrilled."

On the other hand, Falkner, Bugsy, Whitney, Morty, Chuck and Jasmine exchanged knowing looks, and Lance whispered to Clair, a look of shock appearing on the Dragon-Type Gym Leader's face the next moment.

Meanwhile, Brock waved towards Green and the Pewter City Gym Leader walked towards the teenager.

"Hello, Green," he greeted. "Great to see you."

"Likewise," Green replied with a grin. Brock then turned to the other trainer, and was immediately surprised at the intense color in the trainer's irises.

He could recognize those fiery eyes anywhere.

"Red?" he said out loud, looking incredulous.

At that instant, all the other Gym Leaders and Elite Four froze, while the trainers standing nearby were obviously stunned by the mention of the name, that this teenager before them was the very trainer who had disappeared three years ago. Red uncomfortably shifted his foot, his shoulders sinking and he got ready to hide somewhere, anywhere at all.

"Is that you?" Brock continued to ask. Red glanced up at the adult before he reluctantly nodded his head. The Gym Leader's eyes lit up in joy, as he pulled the teenager into a big hug.

"Oh, man, I missed you!" Brock said heartily. "How have you been?"

Red's eyes widened in surprise, before he looked up at the earnest expression on Brock's face. He smiled, and softly answered, "...Not bad."

"It's great to have you back, Red," Brock grinned. "How was Mount Silver?"

The two conversed a little, and when Brock excused himself to get a few bites from the buffet table, Green winked at Red.

"See, socializing doesn't hurt." He laughed. "Especially with a good guy like Brock, there's no need for you to be so nervous."

"I wouldn't count on that..." Red sighed as he noticed Misty running towards him. Green flinched a little, suddenly reminded of the horrible punishment Misty had given him after he and Morty played that prank onto her and he was quick to excuse himself. Red frantically tried to get his friend to come back but he was soon left completely stranded. The Water Type Gym Leader stared at him from various angles, frowning as she tried to ascertain that this well-dressed individual was indeed the former Champion.

"No way," she began. "It's you."

Misty then stared straight at Red, jabbing a finger into his face, "Betcha had fun up on Mount Silver, didn't you? Disappearing on us like that?"

"..."

"Still can't talk much even after three-"

"Misty, be nice," Janine cut in, the younger trainer shooting a smile towards Red. "She's a little cranky today, if you don't mind. This must be the first time we're meeting each other, I'd reckon."

"...Yes," Red said with a nod of his head. Misty grumbled a little, before she stole another glance at Red, and then headed off to talk to Erika.

"I'm Janine, Gym Leader of Fuchsia City," the girl said proudly. "You know, I remember that time after you defeated my dad, he got home looking sullen-"

"Ahem."

The two of them turned, just to see Koga walking up to the two of them.

"Oops," Janine said, her face pale. "I gotta go."

The girl then disappeared all of a sudden, surprising Red. Must have been some sort of ninjutsu technique.

"That daughter of mine, she's always so quick to run," Koga said, his face stern, but a small smile appeared on his lips when he turned to face Red. "I'm pleasantly surprised."

"A pleasant surprise indeed," Bruno said with a rumbling voice, the large man appearing behind Koga. "You look sharper, Undefeated Champion."

"And more beautiful then ever!" Will cried out, doing a small twirl, which humorously reminded Red about the suit shop owner. "I can see stars around you, and the mesmerizing beauty of faith and power!"

Red blinked repeatedly, confused by the strange man's words and actions. Until an attractive-looking lady with Carolina blue hair lightly pushed the man away, her heels clicking.

"You're weirding him out, Will." She said, raising a brow in disapproval. She flashed a pretty smile towards Red as she introduced herself. "My name's Karen, and this weird man is Will. The both of us are part of the current Elite Four. Welcome back to the League, Red."

"... Thanks," Red replied, his knees feeling rather weak from the number of people surrounding him.

"By the way, would you like to model for my agency? We've been searching for young, good-looking trainers-"

"Ahem." Both Bruno and Koga cleared their throat in unison. Karen froze, but was quick to get the message and give the trainer some space to breathe.

"Talk to you again, Red," Bruno said, and the Elite Four members went off. Meanwhile Red stood there, still trying to accept that he was right here, standing in this League building, attending a party. He could feel the stares of many, many people, and he felt himself shrinking, hating that all the attention was on him. Some trainers were trying to get closer, ready to strike up a conversation with the trainer.

And before he knew what he was doing, he ran off.

* * *

Green Oak stared at the incoming stream of Hoenn trainers, who were awestruck by the sheer size of the Main Hall, the many colours and trainers that were greeting them. He caught a glimpse of Brendan, who was leading the large group, and his eyes visibly narrowed. Shaking his head, the Viridian City turned left and right, wondering where could Red have gone. Even Ethan was uncharacteristically not in the spotlight, and Green immediately turned to Falkner, who was standing beside him, the Violet City Gym Leader stuffing himself with more cream puffs while giving small claps to welcome the Hoenn trainers.

"Where's Ethan?" Green asked.

"Ehrthan?" Falkner said through a mouthful of cream puffs, and he quickly chewed the food, swallowing it in a jiffy. "Ethan has a speech later so he won't be joining us now."

Green shrugged in response, and meanwhile, a team of scientists and professors had walked in, an intelligent air surrounding them. He spotted his grandfather walking at the front, with Professor Elm and the professor from Hoenn, Professor Birch. Lyra and his sister were walking along at the back, both of them looking extraordinarily delighted.

He continued to search through the crowd, for any sign of a tall, red-eyed teenager, but to no avail. He folded his arms, trying to think of the possible places where Red could have hidden himself. And he was fast to decide that Red will only go to places where nobody will go. He slowly walked through the crowd and out, towards the balcony where no one was in the vicinity. A cold wind blew at him when he stood out in the open and gazing upwards towards the rooftop, he caught sight of a flaming tail. Sighing, he let out his Pidgeot, the bird staring at his trainer curiously. The trainer pointed a finger up, and Pidgeot understood immediately.

Upon landing onto the roof, Green carefully tread across and saw the lone trainer, staring at the sky with a forlorn expression, his Charizard, Pikachu, Espeon and a Bayleef staying close to him.

"How's your social energy level?" He chuckled. Red shot him a glare, and then sighed. He could hear the crowd, the chatter, the concerto playing in the background, and he could not help but to stay somewhere quiet and peaceful. Espeon nudged his chin, purred and curled itself up on his lap, while the trainer lightly ran his fingers through the Pokémon's silky smooth fur. Bayleef was leaning against Red comfortably, its leaf swaying with the night breeze. Green Oak then arrived next to him, his friend carefully sitting down on the edge of the roof.

"There's no need for you to stay here…," Red muttered. If there was one thing Green was absolutely better than Red, it was socializing. Green Oak was one of the most social creatures the trainer knew, so it felt strange that Green would sit here to accompany him, even though parties were his thing.

Green snorted, and he took out a Pokéball, releasing his Arcanine, the mighty beast growling. Green beckoned it over, and the Pokémon trodded over, laying down, its heavy weight creaking the tiles. Its bushy, heavy tail positioned itself, and Green sank into the fluffy tufts of fur, letting out a gasp of satisfaction.

"I prefer to have some peace and quiet occasionally," he said as he prodded at the soft lump. "Plus, because of a certain someone's game of hide and seek, my hair's all ruined by the wind."

Red gave him a sheepish look, and then looked at Bayleef, who was slowly trotting over to Green. The Gym Leader glanced at the creature, and rubbed Bayleef's leaf. The Pokémon cry out happily, and started tickling Green's side with the leaf. The trainer chuckled, before he looked up at Red and said, "So this little guy is your Johto starter?"

Red nodded his head, and replied, "...I'm trying to search for something... inside of him..."

"Something?" Green asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"...I got proud, Green... complacent... I changed so much from three years ago, that... I feel like I've lost something," Red said softly, remembering his match between him and Whitney. "But I don't know what is it..."

The trainer then stroked Bayleef's back and continued, "...I want to properly train Bayleef."

Green glanced at both Pokémon and trainer, before he propped a leg up and said nonchalently, "Well, that's what you want to do, it's not really of my business anyway."

Red smiled and then stared up at the blue-black sky, Bayleef lying closer to his trainer. It was a cloudless night, and the stars were shining their brightest.

"...You know, I often come up here to relax... when I was still the Champion three years ago…," Red said softly.

"Hmm…," Green muttered in reply. "So, do you regret leaving?"

Red became wordless for a moment, and after a full minute, he slowly shook his head.

"Well, I do," Green said. "For not stopping you, that is."

Red swerved his head around and stared at his friend, surprised.

"Even though you're such a weird, dense, and annoying person, and in the past you irritated me greatly, I do regret for not reaching out to you," Green said softly as he gazed at the sky. "Because, you see, our values and ideals were different. You and I were different. My ideal was to not be influenced by the feelings of Pokémon no matter what. I wanted to be a force that would never lose."

Red blinked his eyes in surprise, confused about how he should react, but he kept quiet. Espeon opened an eye, and glanced at Green, the intelligent creature quietly observing, while Bayleef's round eyes stared at the two trainers curiously. On the other hand, Pikachu was complaining to Charizard on how he couldn't get all the Pokémon treats that were all over the buffet tables in the Main Hall.

"I hated you, Red. I really did. That year when the both of us first set out as trainers, I hated you. You always went further than I did, even though I was sure my team was put together for the purpose of being the strongest. You have something I don't. You can change the hearts of Pokémon, like what you did with your Pikachu, and Mewtwo. I could have tried harder at that, but I was so fixated on my ideal of 'the strongest', and failed."

"..."

"We never talk much after our match, did we? Just a few words here and there, and nothing else," Green said, his arm reaching out to pet Arcanine's head, the Pokémon purring out of glee. "I think I was afraid of facing you, Red. I was a sore loser, and I hated myself for it. Maybe, if I tried to support you better, as a friend, as a rival, maybe you wouldn't have to carry the burden all by yourself."

"... No, I...," Red began. "... I never blamed you for anything that happened."

"I know," Green sighed. "You would never blame anyone. You're too kind to do so, and that's why it ticks me off. You always carry all the responsibilities, you keep things to yourself and you never speak your mind. You can rely on us, you know? The Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, Gramps, and... me. You're not alone, Red."

"...Yeah."

"So, promise me that this time, don't you dare go off alone." Green glared at Red, who held his breath. "This time, rely on us. We're all here to fight the same enemy, and protect the same home."

Red solemnly nodded his head.

"And, don't die," Green murmured.

Red found his friend trembling, the trainer's eyes filled with fear and grief. At that instant, Red knew what sort of thoughts was haunting Green Oak.

He was thinking about her. And that fateful day.

Red immediately grabbed Green's hand tightly.

"I won't."

* * *

Brendan wound his way along the grand-looking corridor, embellished lamps lighting up the long path, and he turned his head left and right, wondering where was the door that will lead him back to the Main Hall. After receiving instructions from Will, one of the Kanto Elite Four, he was making his way to the washroom, but ended up being lost. He turned back, yet he was confused by the many doors and split paths on the Indigo Plateau. It will take an experienced person to know how to walk around this place.

Suddenly, he stopped, body erect and alert, his blue eyes steely and wary.

It all happened in an instant, and the air became dangerous, cold, and impending. Brendan's hand was aimed backwards, a sharp spear-like weapon inches away from the cloaked figure's exposed neck, his hand already gripping one of his Pokéball, ready to release his Pokémon to tackle his assailant. Yet a gun was also pressed close to his back, the firearm ready to kill.

"My, my, this is unexpected, Champion of Hoenn," a low, smooth voice spoke. Brendan gritted his teeth, as the gun was shoved further into his back, nearly bruising it.

"Are you... Licinius?" the trainer asked, his finger ready to press the button on the red-white capsule. The spear similarly went closer to the man's throat, and the assailant merely chuckled.

"Seems like my master has been exposed," the man replied. "But no matter, the likes of you can never hope to find us."

"Are you sure?" Brendan threatened. "You can be captured, right here, right now, and we can get all the information out of you."

"Oh, clever, clever," the man laughed. "But you do know that I can kill you any second."

"Likewise, mister," Brendan hissed, the sharp and pointy tip of the weapon getting even closer, and the man's neck leaned back to avoid it. "Plus, you can't kill me now."

"Oh?" the man said, visibly surprised. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because you would not want to risk exposing yourself by killing me in such a highly guarded venue," Brendan replied calmly. "And secondly..."

Brendan gave a small smile, and at the next instant, a crackling sound was heard, and the man glanced down, shocked. The gun's muzzle was crushed, like it was collapsing inwards from an unknown force. Before he could say anything else, the man felt his whole body being pulled upwards, and soon he was thrown over Brendan's shoulder. He let out a cry of pain, while the trainer locked the man's arms behind his back, his Sceptile materializing from the red light that emerged the very moment the capsule was opened.

"Sceptile," he said, and the Pokémon nodded his head immediately in response, while a tough, leafy vine was produced from his tail.

"I see, the Iron Plate," the man growled as he was pinned under Brendan, the vine slowly binding him. "You can control all things metal. The master will be pleased with this information."

"Only if you can return to him. Now, talk. What is your agenda?"

"Hahahahaha," the man chuckled. "You are indeed clever, Champion of Hoenn."

"Don't change the subject," Brendan warned, his tone dangerous, while he put more force to hold the man down.

"I'm here with a solution," the man said with a grin, his face obscured by the dim light. "A way to break the Lovers' curse."

Brendan's eyes widened, the grip on the man's arm loosening.

"What are you trying to play at?"

The man smirked, and said, "It seems to me that you are interested."

"I don't trust you," Brendan muttered through gritted teeth.

"Of course you don't. But you want to know, you want to know how, how in Arceus can you save both you and your lover," the man said with an even tone. Brendan's knuckles went white, the trainer wanting to say something to retort, but instead fell silent. Sceptile wanted to intrude and hold down the enemy himself, but Brendan held out a hand, prompting the Pokémon to stand still and wait.

"Tell me," Brendan said. "What do I need to do?"

The man smiled in reply, and then answered, "A life for a life."

Brendan's eyes dimmed, for this answer was exactly the same as what the ghost had-

"Kill another card."

Instantly, the trainer ordered Sceptile to unleash Leaf Storm, and soon the man was pushed against the wall, the tornado of leaves that encircled him glowed, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

"Say that again," Brendan growled.

The man seemed unfazed by the deadly leaves surrounding him as he spoke, "Did you not hear me? I said 'kill another card'."

"I will never do that," Brendan replied, resolute. "There is no way, I will ever kill someone to save ourselves."

The man let out a chortle, startling both Brendan and Sceptile. The leaves continued to spin around the man, gaining momentum.

"The human heart is most unpredictable, Champion of Hoenn," he said, a mysterious smile stretching across his lips. "And if you excuse me, I have a grand opening to attend."

"Wha-"

Sceptile let out a cry, alarmed, while an violent shadow charged towards the three of them. Brendan shouted for the Pokémon to retreat, and Sceptile obeyed, as he quickly held his trainer and jumped back, hitting against the other wall. The shadow howled, a frightening, nightmarish howl, and the man was soon whisked away, the fearsome creature rendering the storm of leaves to be broken.

Brendan winced, his arm hurting from the force and he looked at the empty space before them, the man gone with the creature. He frowned, gritting his teeth hard, the teenager frustrated that the man had escaped.

"Sceptile, are you alright?" He turned to his Pokémon, concerned. The Jungle Pokémon shook his head in reply, and Brendan heaved a sigh of relief. After picking himself up, the trainer turned around to face his Pokémon, until he realized that Sceptile was glaring at the night sky, hostile, his tail swishing angrily. He let out a low hiss, the leaves on his forearm glowing a bright green, and Brendan immediately recognized that the Pokémon was in combat mode, and was so hostile and cautious towards something unknown that he might have been about to unleash Leaf Blade.

"What is it?" Brendan said softly, and Sceptile jerked his head to the left. The Hoenn Champion nodded, and soon the two head down the corridor.

Meanwhile, back in the Main Hall, the many trainers were going about chatting, eating and dancing. Those who had seen Red were speculating amongst themselves, all of them trying to search for the trainer himself.

Erika was nodding off to sleep while she sat in one of the chairs. A slight tug at her dress woke her up and she drowsily looked at her Bellossom. The Pokémon started pointing upwards, clearly distraught about something.

Bugsy's Scizor was similarly frantically trying to drag its trainer away from something, and the Gym Leader looked around, confused about whatever his Pokémon was trying to do.

Sabrina herself stared upwards at the ceiling, her wristbands glowing green. She glanced at her Espeon, whose canines were showing, its whole body tense. The Gym Leader immediately used her psychic powers, and telepathically communicated with her Pokémon. A few seconds later, her face went deathly pale, before she waited not a second more to head towards the stage.

Clair noticed the erratic behavior of the lady, and immediately, the Blackthorn City Gym Leader stopped her in her tracks, brows furrowed as she asked Sabrina what was wrong. Sabrina gasped, her face appearing to slowly drain of color, but she managed to muster her voice and relay whatever she had heard from her Espeon.

Clair's complexion similarly paled, the Gym Leader stunned as she released her grip onto Sabrina, who brushed past the Gym Leader, and continued to make her way towards the stage, which was still a distance away. Clair, on the other hand, turned around, just to see her cousin Lance standing behind her, the perceptive man already catching on that something has gone horribly wrong.

Meanwhile, the Pokémon in the Main Hall were agitated and upset, many letting out warning cries, while Sabrina finally made it to the stage, the Gym Leader grabbing and tugging at the mic. A shrill electric squeak resounded from the mic, gaining the attention of everyone in that instant, and with a trembling hand, Sabrina shouted into the mic, her voice filled with urgency and worry.

"Everyone, get away from the Main Hall, now!"

* * *

Up on the roof, the two boys had been star-gazing and conversing for quite a while, the party long forgotten. Pikachu, sitting atop of Charizard's head, was pointing at the stars in glee, while the draconid Pokémon occasionally growled back, the two of them having a conversation of their own. On the other hand, Arcanine and Espeon sat comfortably, quietly admiring the bright, twinkling sky. Bayleef was fiddling with Red's tie, the Pokémon wondering what was the use of this piece of human clothing.

Until all five of them went still, their eyes widening, and Espeon immediately set up the telepathy lines and rushed to grab onto Charizard. Pikachu and Bayleef held onto Charizard for dear life, and Charizard grabbed onto Red, who glanced left and right, confused. Arcanine bit onto Green's collar, the trainer letting out a yell in surprise as he was tossed backwards before landing perfectly on Arcanine's back. Before Red and Green could understand what had gotten over their Pokémon to make them behave like this, a deafening, alien-sounding cry rang out across the sky. A streak of light came racing over, purple waves of psychic power emanating from it.

 _Incoming!_ Espeon shouted in their heads, and on cue, both Charizard and Arcanine leaped off the roof, while the streak of light came barrelling downwards, colliding with the center of the roof. As both Pokémon landed on the balcony, Red and Green stared in horror as the roof shattered apart, the light plunging downwards into the Main Hall.

The same deafening cry resounded seconds later from inside the Main Hall, along with screams and shouts of shock and fear. Both trainers exchanged glances, and soon the two of them tore off, into the Main Hall. And the moment they witnessed the scene before them, both let out a collective gasp.

In the Main Hall, the ceiling was busted with a sizable hole, the chandelier already fallen to the ground, shattered. The music was halted, and all around the Main Hall, non-trainers were panicking, many of them dashing off towards the exit. The trainers were all on edge, all transfixed onto the human-sized creature that stood in the middle of the debris, its white circular eyes glaring at the trainers and Pokémon scattered around. It's reddish-orange body seemed to change shapes again and again, its tentacle-like arms coiled in a double helix shape. The crystalline purple orb in the middle of its chest glowed, its psychic powers picking up a few pieces of debris, before shooting them towards the people around, who desperately tried to defend themselves.

"Protect!" Lance cried out, and his Kingdra immediately conjured up a few barriers, blocking the attacks. The former Champion then took in a deep breath and bellowed, his voice reverberating throughout the Main Hall.

"Everyone, stay calm! Prepare yourselves!"

Numerous white flashes dotted the Main Hall, an array of Pokémon of the Kanto, Johto and Hoenn trainers ready to battle and defend themselves. Charizard, Pikachu, Espeon and Arcanine got into combat mode, Bayleef shakily trying to stand in the face of the threat before them. Green clenched his fists tightly, while Red fingered the ultraball in his pocket.

"All trainers are to engage in battle with Deoxys!"

* * *

 **I don't put a writer's note nowadays, but anyway, I feel like we've come a long way with this story. The events at the Welcome Party has been one of the milestones I've been trying to reach, and now we're here! Thank you all for supporting this story and I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed this chapter, and you will look forward to the next :)**

 **Cheers,**

 **onetimetrip**


	27. Chapter 27: Kill, Killed

Kill, Killed

 _Do you understand what it means to kill?_

 _Perhaps you might naively say yes, but, just believe me for this one._

 _You don't._

* * *

Do you know how it feels like to be killed?

In my thirteen years of life, I am really glad to say that no, I don't.

Until now.

Before me, at the spot where the shattered chandelier lay, the creature made no sound, its tentacles making little movements, while its pupils darted about, scanning the Hall with silent intensity.

At the same time, the Hall was immensely quiet. No form of movement could be remotely detected from anyone, any Pokémon. It was a heart-stopping moment, and I could hear the thumping in my heart that was getting exponentially louder with every second that passed.

It wasn't just the heart-thumping. Every ounce of my being was frozen, a fearful sensation crawling all over my skin, and my mind drew a blank.

My eyes was fixated onto Deoxys, and I struggled to remind myself that I had to fight it, to remove this threat. Yet I made no moves against it, and that went for same for many of the other trainers, who were similarly afraid of the killing intent the creature was emitting.

Suddenly, Deoxys' white, crystalline eyes stared straight into mine, the creature letting out a small hiss, and I found myself in a dangerous predicament.

 _Move, idiot, move!_ I scolded myself urgently, trying to make my mouth open, and command Amphy to make the first move. But even my Ampharos was tied down by the unprecedented sensation of bloodlust given out by the enemy—and I was desperate to protect both of us.

Deoxys hunched over in a position to launch itself in our direction, and I panicked internally, my every fiber screaming for me to avoid the attack, and that was when I realized how inexperienced and powerless I was.

 _For Arceus' sake, I'm the Johto Champion. To be frightened by this, I must be an idiot._

Squeezing my eyes shut, my mind remained a blank as I braced myself for impact.

Until a piercing cry rang out throughout the Hall, and my eyelids flew open, while a blur of purple and white streaked past me, saving me at the very last second. I was thrown backwards, and upon landing on my bottom, I blinked profusely, dumbfounded, while waves of relief and disbelief washed over me. The killing aura was abruptly lifted, and breathy gasps could be heard everywhere, many trainers dropping onto their knees from the blood-chilling experience. The Gym Leaders around me were momentarily in a trance, many too shocked, too stiff to respond.

My eyes hurriedly followed to where Deoxys had been flung to, and to my surprise, a strange bipedal, humanoid creature was tackling the intruder, its strong-looking tail smacking Deoxys hard in the gut. It let out a loud screech, and soon it morphed into its Defense Forme, ready to defend itself.

A bright beam of light was then directed accurately towards Deoxys, which I recognized to be Hyper Beam, followed by a massive figure hurling towards it with a Meteor Mash, the attack striking upon its bulky body squarely in the chest. With those two strong moves, Deoxys was sent crashing into a nearby wall, while trainers near that area screamed, and ran away from it, clearly still fumbled by the earlier experience. While in the middle of trying to ease my breathing, I turned around, just to witness Lance and Steven Stone expertly handling their Pokémon. Nearby, the Elite Four of Hoenn and Kanto-Johto were also ready to fire out attacks. Embarrassed and angry at myself for being this weak, I stood up, while Amphy tried to collect himself. I knew that I shouldn't blame him, or myself.

Even though I was the Johto Champion, I remained inexperienced at dealing with Pokémon of such ferocity and viciousness.

Meanwhile, the mysterious humanoid creature landed on the ground, and I could vaguely sense a hidden bloodlust coming out from it. The fearsome look it had in its eyes was not at all reassuring to look at, despite it being the one who had just saved me seconds ago.

Deoxys emerged, appearing unscathed, the urge to kill still pulsating from it as it glared at the humanoid creature, which growled in return, a faint indigo glow lighting up from its body.

"...Mewtwo," a familiar voice called out. I jolted, my eyes trailing towards the older trainer who was commanding the creature.

Did he just say "Mewtwo"?

"Control yourself," Red said firmly, while taking a few steps forward. "...There are people here."

Mewtwo let out a displeased grunt, the glow on its body disappearing like smoke. The Hall hushed, everyone fixated upon the fearsome Pokémon and the trainer that was capable of taming it. His eyes merely glanced at the Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and all the other trainers, his gaze strong and fierce, and everyone instantly understood.

 _Leave this to us._

Suddenly, Deoxys screeched, its body switching to its Speed Forme, before it propelled its body headfirst towards Mewtwo, its tentacles extending and grabbing Mewtwo by the torso. The two powerful Pokémon were soon zooming towards the other end of the Hall, smashing into the wall with a sickening boom. Trainers started shouting, alarmed by the rubble that floated in midair, manipulated by telekinesis. Mewtwo and Deoxys then reappeared repeatedly, their teleportation powers on par with each other. Yet Deoxys was easily flung sideways by the stronger telekinesis powers of Mewtwo, its body flying across the Hall.

In the next second, Mewtwo was right before the foe, its heavy tail slamming into Deoxys, while it unleashed another Psychic Type move that pinned Deoxys onto the ground. Deoxys was then flung up again, and Mewtwo sent a barrel of telekinetic punches towards it. Loud booms were heard, the walls battered by the repeated crashes, the floor dented and cracked by the immense psychic waves. The one-sided battle continued on for quite a bit, with Deoxys very much on the losing side.

Everyone merely stared and observed the battle, where none could interfere the two Legendary Pokémon. My eyes were wide, trying to follow the every movement of Mewtwo, all the while waiting for Deoxys to fall.

Except, it never did.

I soon picked up the irregularity that was happening, and so did the rest. Red appeared rather confused, as he watched Mewtwo sending attack after attack, yet Deoxys was still capable of standing again and again.

Almost as if it was healing itself again and again.

"It should be down by now," someone exclaimed. "How is it... still fighting?"

Deoxys maneuvered itself away from Mewtwo, its tentacles curving into a single point. A zapping sound could be heard, and a multicolored ball of energy was constructed right from its chest, slowly but surely. Mewtwo's eyes widened, its fists clenched tightly.

"It's Psycho Boost!" a shout came, and the energy ball expanded, larger and larger, while before me, protective barriers were quick to be erected. Lance had used Protect to block as many trainers as possible from the impending attack that could possibly blow the Main Hall to smithereens.

Meanwhile, Red stood at the same spot, unmoving and unprotected. The Dragon Master was mere feet away from me, and I yelled at him to have his Dragonite to use a Protect on him, but Lance sternly motioned me to watch.

And so, I did. I watched him closely. How he called out to Mewtwo with a clear, pristine voice, how his eyes were silently observing the situation, how he merely mouthed one simple battle command that sent the ferocious Mewtwo to swing a deadly Psycho Cut towards the energy ball. The whole thing was instantly split into halves, while dark indigo colored spheres enveloped it and the whole thing dissipated into sparks, sending energy shockwaves around the hall. Everyone, including me, were awestruck by the powerful moves of Mewtwo, and its amazing maneuverability.

Deoxys, clearly agitated at how its attack was so easily countered by Mewtwo, dashed towards it, its tentacles coiling around it, and the two grappled with each other. The two monstrosities were back at it again, with Mewtwo sending out moves stronger after the other, and Deoxys seemingly on steroids and never going to fall.

Suddenly reminded of something, I found myself sprinting forward, with Lance calling out to me.

My right arm reached out, grabbing onto Red's. My hair was a mess, my hands still trembling from Deoxys' killing intent, but I hurriedly shouted, "The orb is its weakness!"

Red stared at me, his crimson eyes bright and surprised.

"...Thanks," he uttered, before he turned back, shouting a few commands towards Mewtwo. The beast roared, tearing itself away from Deoxys, while its arms glowed purple, ready to use a Psycho Cut.

The two were now opposite each other, Deoxys readying itself in its Speed Forme. And after a tense, pregnant pause, the two dashed at each other, their figures all a blur, with Deoxys dealing an Extreme Speed at Mewtwo.

A transparent clink reverberated throughout the Hall, and suddenly the two Pokémon hovered in midair, Mewtwo heaving out heavy, ragged breaths repeatedly, the bloodthirsty glint in its eyes seemingly glowing. Deoxys' eyes were white, round, surprised, and slowly, its head turned down, to its chest.

A crooked line started forming on the orb. Its eyes seemed almost furious, and at the next moment, a deafening screech could be heard throughout the hall. Everyone clapped their hands over their ears, trying to save their eardrums from the prolonged screaming. And when it finally quietened down, all eyes were focused onto the intruder, whose pupils blacked out, its body limp and motionless. Mewtwo gingerly distanced itself from the creature. And all of a sudden, Deoxys crumbled away, bit by bit, the dust falling down like snow.

The orb dropped, landing onto the hardwood floor with a sonorous crack, shattered into bits and pieces. And in the next second, Mewtwo arriving next to Red and I, looking proud and victorious.

"Thanks, Mewtwo…," Red said softly, and the Pokémon regarded him with a grunt, and it returned to its Poké Ball without much of a resistance. His Charizard, Pikachu, Espeon and Chikorita joined him, all four of them appearing pleased and proud about their trainer's victory.

The blanket of silence stayed, until it was abruptly lifted, gasps and cheers resounding throughout the Hall. I could barely stand, as I watched the trainer, the Undefeated Champion before me, his Pokémon standing behind him, dignified.

And my eyes were entirely fixated upon him.

All of a sudden, all those matches I seen it on the television and on the net rewound themselves in my head, and I was immediately reminded of one thing.

This trainer before me is the goal I have been trying to reach.

Clenching my fists, I felt a grin stretch across my lips. By now, a hoard of trainers were surrounding Red, each and every one of them giddy with glee and excitement as they chattered around him. The professors and researchers were off trying to salvage the shattered orb, evidently ready to use it for research. None of them even cared that one of the doors at the side was slammed open loudly, and Brendan dashed in, his Sceptile behind him, the Pokémon looking perturbed. Sensing that something was amiss from his troubled expression, I hurriedly weaved myself out of the crowd, and gasped for breath the moment I tore myself out of that human mass. My legs barely carried myself over to him, for I nearly tripped myself along the way.

"Ethan…," he breathed, his cheeks red, and his hair appeared messy, as if some mini hurricane had ran over it. Meanwhile, Steven Stone and May were coming over, looking surprised. As they approached, I felt a heavy, familiar feeling rising within me, and I could vaguely feel a tingling sensation around my body. A tiny flash of lightning dashed across my vision vertically downwards from the ceiling, and I blinked my eyes out of incredulity. Yet, the lightning disappeared.

"Where have you been?" Mr. Stone asked. "We've been looking all over for you."

"I got lost- Oof!" Brendan choked, when May nearly threw herself atop of him. She quickly freed him from the tight hug, a furious expression never seen before on her face.

"You..." She took a deep breath. "I was so worried!"

"Sorry," he murmured, his hand holding onto hers. He then glanced at both Mr. Stone and I, then at the busted ceiling, his brows furrowing down.

"What happened here?"

"Deoxys—," Mr. Stone began.

"Deoxys crashed into the Hall, and it was about to attack us, and then.. and then..." I paused, taking in a deep breath, and then continued to shoot off, "Red unleashed Mewtwo, and that Pokémon was so powerful! It just went whoosh, and then bam! It even stopped Psycho Boost, like it was nothing! After that—!"

"Basically Red's Mewtwo managed to stop and eliminated Deoxys," Mr. Stone cut in, looking amused. "It was really quite a show."

Yet Brendan did not look at all surprised, for the expression on his countenance seemed to become even sterner, his eyebrows arching down further.

"Was that all?" he muttered, his hands pressed against his temples. "It can't be all that they're after..."

"What's wrong?" May asked, her other hand pressing onto his tense arm. Brendan only bent his head down further, his eyes squeezed shut, clearly trying to think. All three of us watched him, while all the other trainers were still crowding around Red persistently, the researchers still buzzing among themselves.

"Deoxys... Licinius..."

"Licinius?" I exclaimed, and was about to ask a few more questions, but Mr. Stone placed a finger on his lips, prompting me to keep quiet.

"... Mewtwo..."

A prolonged silence surrounding us for moment, until Brendan's head turned upwards suddenly, and before any of us knew what was going, he was walking off towards the crowd. Our eyes trailed after him, and all I noticed was how authoritative and how he was walking towards the crowd with loud steps.

A few trainers at the edge of the crowd noticed his presence, and one by one, they shuffled to the sides, parting a way for him. It was awesome to look at, and I witnessed this scene with an awestruck look on my face.

"He's... like a Champion," I blurted out, before I slapped my own cheeks. What am I saying? Brendan Yūki is the—

"He is the Hoenn Champion after all," Mr. Stone said. I nodded my head in return, rather embarrassed at my comment. By now, a sizable part of the crowd had dispersed.

"Nobody move!"

His voice exploded within the Hall, clear, fierce, and attention-grabbing. At that very instant, an unprecedented silence grappled the Hall's atmosphere. Everyone hushed, and many watched the Hoenn Champion, astonished and puzzled by his sudden actions.

"Red."

And immediately, the crowd split into halves, and Red was now, standing in clear view, his Pokémon behind him, before Brendan Yūki.

"Where is your Mewtwo?" Brendan uttered.

"Check your belt."

Red cautiously lifted his suit jacket, where three compact-sized Ultra Balls and four normal Poké Balls were attached to it. His fingers seemed to grabbed for something, or nothing, I couldn't really tell from where I was looking.

But whether he grabbed something, or nothing, was soon shown on his face. It was a look of pure shock, his crimson eyes widening, the color of his cheeks disappearing so quickly that it reminded me of how he looked like when I first found him on Mt. Silver. Brendan clenched his fists, a stern and grim expression on his face.

"Mewtwo has been stolen!" Brendan yelled at the next moment. "Not one person is to leave this Hall!"

Exclamations and gasps emerged around the Hall, and none dared to move, as Brendan's eyes darted about, trying to search for someone. Everyone was in a state of fear and shock, while the Hoenn Champion scrutinized each and every person and Pokémon.

All of a sudden, a loud burst of sound rang, one of the lights hanging around the Hall extinguished. People screamed and yelped, while an unimaginable scene was playing before me.

I could see more flashes of lightning running amok in the Hall.

Another light went out.

I blinked my eyes, surprised, but the crackles of lightning were indeed present. The tingling sensation could be felt more than before, and somewhere, I could feel something resonating with me.

What was it?

Yet another light went out.

My head spun around, and before my eyes, Mr. Stone was holding up a glowing yellow slab. The slab vibrated violently, the glow on it intensifying, and the lightning flashes around me went even more violent than before.

Another loud sound. Another light busted.

"Ethan...," May began, her eyes lighting up in astonishment, "the Zap Plate...!"

"Something is here," Mr. Stone said urgently, one hand wanting to hand the Zap Plate to me, his other hand grabbing onto a Poké Ball. "Hurry, take it. Who knows how it might help."

The next light went out, the glass shattering, and two lights were left.

My arm gingerly reached out for the plate, and the closer I got to it, the more it was turning from tingling, to electrifying.

"Show yourself!" Lance's voice rang out. The next light exploded, and the sole source of light flickered precariously, and behind me, the air was slowly becoming thinner, a tight, constricting atmosphere was gripping the whole Hall.

My hand made contact with the Plate, and all I could feel was an immensely strong zapping force coursing through my body. Like I was being electrified by the Plate itself. I could feel electricity at my fingertips, and around me, the lightning intensified. Glancing at my chest, I could see small sparks lightning circling around it, as if it was embracing me. May and Mr. Stone were simply staring, looks of fascination written all over their faces.

The lightning only visible to me turned out to be residual electricity that was leaking out of the destroyed lights. And the sparks were helping me to see the whole Hall.

The last light went out.

Amidst the darkness, there were a few agitated shouts here and there, while I was on high alert, my eyes watching out for any suspicious figures, the lightning sparks illuminating the Hall for me. Sure enough, I soon spotted a mass of shadow and smoke whirling towards the centre of the Hall.

And it was mere inches away from Brendan, ready to strike an attack.

My mind short-circuited, and I let my body, and the electricity do the work. I felt the electrifying force around my heels, and I could see the people around me whizzing by, my legs already running towards the shadow at an inhumane speed. A nauseous feeling rose up to my throat, but I held it in, and in a split second, I was in front of the shadowy figure, my right leg already swinging upwards. I felt the blow connect, electricity from my body suddenly shooting out, paralyzing the shadow. The figure was thrown sidewards, and I could hear Brendan letting out a gasp from behind me, clearly surprised at my sudden entrance.

A few spots of light emerge, as some Pokémon were using Flash, and the Hall was lit up instantly, and many gasped the moment they saw the black shadow. I huffed, looking down at the shadow, while a large hand grabbed my arm.

I turned, just to see Brendan's eyes wide with shock, incredulity and wonder. The people around the two of us were seemingly confused, about how I come to be right next to them in a split second, and why was there a black shadow lying on the ground, immobile.

"What's that?"

"Is that the thief?"

Murmurs could be heard from around the Hall, while one of the Hoenn Gym Leaders, who I recalled to be Brawly, was approaching the shadow cautiously, his Pokémon that was rather short in stature, and had a strange pointy head and big, blue feet was walking behind him. I was similarly, looking at the big mass, which had a large, black, smoky body with a hourglass shape, a ton of white, billowing plume, and strangely shaped red ring around it's supposed neck. It was clearly a Pokémon, and it was a Pokémon I have never seen before.

"Brawly, get away from that Pokémon!" a loud, brash voice shouted hurriedly. I looked around the crowd, and a tall, lean man with blonde hair was pushing through the crowd hurriedly, towards the black shadow.

"The two of you as well!" he said to both Brendan and I, and we did as we were told. The man peered at the black mass, looking tense and horrified. Another man, who appeared neat and well-dressed, joined next to him, a look of pure shock on his face.

"Oh, my word, Palmer, is that—"

"Yes, Darach," he muttered. "But why is it here?" His left hand dug into his suit pocket, taking out a Poké Ball. The black creature shifted slightly, and Palmer froze, more cautious than ever.

"What's that...?" a red-haired Hoenn Gym Leader, whom i recognized to be Flannery, asked.

"Something no human should ever see," Palmer said, as his Pokémon, a graceful, serpentine Pokémon appeared beside him.

"Darkrai."

I blinked, surprised, and, meanwhile, the Pokémon laying on the ground stirred a little, and I felt my breath getting stuck in my throat. I gulped nervously, as the Pokémon called Darkrai slowly opened its eyes.

"Milotic, use Hypnosis," Palmer ordered.

Yet before any of us could move a muscle, the Pokémon sprang upwards so swiftly, it was as if its movement was unaffected by the paralysis.

It's arms, which were black, long and bony, extended outwards, a dark sphere forming in the middle. Palmer looked even more disturbed than ever.

"It's Dark Void! Use Protect!"

But the sphere suddenly multiplied, and the numerous spheres were zooming out towards almost every trainer at a blinding speed. Palmer and his Milotic were instantly hit by the move, and around us, the many trainers were similarly encased in dark spheres. Each of them lost consciousness, and Amphy and I looked around in horror, yet it was too late to stop Darkrai.

The Gym Leaders tried to retaliate, their Pokémon sending out powerful moves, but Darkrai deftly avoided all of them, and they were all quickly sent into a deep sleep. Even those who used Protect failed to evade the move, as the spheres persistantly hit the barriers, shattering it, and engulfed the Pokémon and their trainers.

"Amphy, use Thunder!" I ordered, and my Ampharos jumped, ready to deal an electric attack, but one of the dark spheres was faster than him, and he fell to the ground, unharmed but asleep. Even Brendan's Sceptile couldn't escape the attacks, and was soon snoozing. I gritted my teeth, while I watched the surrounding people and Pokémon falling asleep, the flashes of light going out. The dark spheres were zooming about, each hitting one target, but none of them reaching me at all. Surprised, I glanced at Red, who was also standing, the trainer himself stunned, and he had also quickly returned his team back into their Pokéballs.

"Steven!" a voice shouted, and we both looked back, just to see Mr. Stone being swallowed up by a dark sphere, and emerged, eyes closed. May gasped, and met eyes with Brendan, looking bewildered.

The multiple lights disappeared, and soon, the whole Hall plunged into darkness, an eerie silence lingering around.

"Hey, anyone else still awake?" a familiar voice called out.

"Lyra?" I shouted. "Where are you?"

"What's going on?" Green's voice came, loud and clear. Yet none of us could see him. The electricity was, for some reason, gone, and I had no idea how I was supposed to do a repeat of the previous occurrence. We were blind in the dark, and dared not move. My heart palpitated frantically, beads of perspiration running down my temples. The enemy was right in the Hall, with Darkrai, and Mewtwo was stolen. And if we were to use any of our Pokémon, they will be immediately knocked out. And another thing was for sure...

We were the only ones left standing in this Hall.

The Major Arcana.

"Ethan, are you still there?" Brendan softly called out.

"Yeah," I whispered.

"Red?"

"...Yes."

"Green?"

"Here."

"Lyra?"

"Yes!"

"May."

"Yes."

"Okay, seems like we are the only ones left," he murmured. "What is he planning to do?"

"He?" I asked. "As in... Licinius?"

"I see, you do know who I am. I suppose that dog told you about me?"

I jumped, startled and frightful, and almost immediately, my legs gave way. A massive, turbulent apprehension grappled my lungs, fear tying my whole body to the ground, and I heaved in loud breaths, my sweat coming out in large beads involuntarily. My hair was standing on ends, its tips shaking with fright, goosebumps lining my whole skin. My muscles were slack, the feeling inside them numbing as the seconds passed, while I could feel my corneas drying up, as if the fear was removing the moisture from my body. The sense of fright I felt from Deoxys was not at all comparable to the one I was feeling now.

It was vaguely something ancient, potent, powerful, the core of it fearsome. But most importantly, it contained a never before felt animosity, a deep feeling of hatred, full of thorns, and the maliciousness was suffocating, drowning, and burning. It was as if this feeling itself, was ready to kill me off.

I was scared. Of being killed.

"Ethan…," Brendan's voice rasped, and I shifted my head to face him, my muscles barely working, and from the corner of my eye, I saw him, on all fours, panting so heavily, and for a moment there, I was relieved that I wasn't the only one to be feeling this dreadful, strangling bloodlust and hate. I had to keep my sanity, to know that such a bloodlust was inhumane, and could be felt by a fellow human being.

"You've got... to be kidding me…," his voice hissed, and at the next moment, two silver glows was emitted, one from Brendan, and the other from May. Metallic clangs resounded everywhere, and I could vaguely see chains extending out in all directions, like a protective web.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you," the chilling voice uttered, and I felt another surge of fear through my bones.

"Argh!" A painful cry came from next to me, and suddenly, a few lamps turned on, presumably due to the emergency lighting system, and then, I saw him.

A tall, lanky man, whose back was straight, shoulders firm, and his head was held high, with long, gray hair that was tied into a wispy, thin ponytail that reached to the middle of his back. A bone-white, flat, and plain mask covered half of his face, with only his eyes, mouth and chin visible. Meanwhile, Brendan was effortlessly held up mid-air, his throat gripped by the man's bony, yet strong hand. The large and long steel chains around us vibrated violently, before it was shattered into a million pieces that disappeared into thin air. May let out a yell, while Brendan gagged, his face getting redder from the lack of oxygen. His hands clawed at the man's arm, trying to release himself from the suffocation.

"So this was your... plan... to steal Mewtwo?" Brendan wheezed, as he glowered at the man.

"Indeed," Licinius chuckled. "Imagine how fun it'll be to clone it and see the looks of despair upon your faces when my army attacks."

"Dream on! That'll... never happen!"

"Is that so?"

Brendan coughed violently, as Licinius flexed his arms even further, lifting the Hoenn Champion higher, his grip tightening even more.

I willed myself to stand, and yet before I could even try to reach Brendan, and stop that horrid man from strangling him, I found my whole body slammed to the ground heavily. I coughed, and my eyes travelled to Darkrai, who was holding me down with its powers.

"Let him go!" May pleaded, but she herself was also held down onto the ground.

"Yeah, you... bastard!" I shouted, my body shaking, and my head not even knowing what was rolling off my tongue.

His eyes shifted, and I made eye contact with him.

The pupils were black.

And hollow.

Frighteningly so.

He smiled, not at all a smile of mercy or kindness or anything close to good. It was a smile of pure mockery, superiority and evil. I was shaking even more, my mind already telling myself to get as far as I could from this man.

"Well, I don't see why not. It's not his turn to die, after all," he slurred, and I could feel the disregard, the coldness and boredom in his words.

As if this was merely a game.

"But first," he continued, and my eyes widened as I witnessed him sending a heavy punch straight into Brendan's gut. Brendan choked, his eyes rolling backwards, his arms going slack and falling to his sides.

The man's hand finally relaxed, and Brendan was dropped to the ground, landing with a thump, limp like a ragdoll.

"Oi!" Green shouted from across the Hall.

"Yūki!" May screamed. Yet Brendan had no response, the Hoenn Champion out cold. Her whole body glowed, the female Coordinator having a very, very furious look on her countenance. Suddenly, a bunch of chains were materialized, angry knives ready to charge towards the man. The chains extended, the knives flew, but the man calmly stood there, and at the next moment, the knives halted, mere inches away from him. It hovered there dangerously, before a painful yelp could be heard from behind me. And from the corner of my eye, the same large sphere enveloped May. Very quickly, she fell asleep.

"You coward!" I yelled at the man, who had an indifferent expression on his face.

"My, these two have grown rather strong. It's a pity they had to hold back to protect these worthless humans." He chuckled, completely ignoring my shouts. His eyes appearing strangely amused and mocking, a sly smile creeping onto his lips as he looked around the ground, where all the sleeping trainers were lying. "Bad idea, Lovers, bad idea."

I helplessly looked at the unconscious Brendan and May lying on the ground, unmoving. Meanwhile, his shoes started clacking against the ground, the sound alone inciting fear. One step, two steps, and he was slowly getting closer.

To Red.

And the trainer himself, was still standing.

"Fearless, aren't you?" Licinius hissed. "Or should I say, foolish as the Fool you are?"

Red said nothing, and he merely stood there, erect, fists clenched. His eyes seemed to burn, his gaze seething with a mysterious red, fiery glow. Licinius stopped in his tracks, and an agonizing silence followed, the two people simply standing opposite each other.

"You are just like him," Licinius finally said. "Makes me want to shred you up so badly..."

I gulped nervously, because whatever he said was not at all simply a threat. All of the sudden, the man stepped forward, his hand thrusting towards Red like a deadly claw.

"Get away from him, Red!" Green's voice rang out from behind urgently.

"Run!" Lyra yelled out as well, but Red was frozen on the spot, too shocked to move. He squeezed his eyes shut, and I heard Green screaming himself hoarse.

A jingling of bells rang out, loud, clear, and fierce.

It happened all very quickly, and at the next moment, I witnessed ephemeral robes billowing, bells ringing, and there he was, his body slowly appearing from the waist down, one hand grabbing onto Licinius' wrist, stopping his momentum instantly.

Licinius smirked, his black eyes gazing at Sei.

"I'm surprised. You can actually touch me."

"Because you're not human," the ghost replied.

"Well, that is true," Licinius agreed.

"Leave him alone," Sei said, his voice trembling. "Twenty-one generations of card killing, haven't you had enough?"

"Same to you," Licinius replied. "Twenty-one generations of silence, why protect a card? And a Fool, nonetheless?"

"It's none of your business. Leave."

"Because it's his son? A loyal dog, aren't you?"

"Leave!" Sei roared, and a surge of cool, prickling air came, and I shut my eyes, trying to withstand the cold wind.

"Fine," Licinius said, and he tugged his arm out of the ghost's grasp. "But don't forget—this generation will fall. Just like it always did."

Licinius then turned around, his footsteps loudly heard throughout the hall.

"...Wait."

My gaze turned to Red, who stepped out from behind Sei. The ghost appeared surprised, and before he could do anything, Red was already walking straight towards Licinius.

"...Return Mewtwo to me."

Licinius stopped in his tracks, and glanced backwards, his eyes mockingly looking at Red.

"And what if I don't?" he said, laughing, his hand reaching into his pocket, taking out the Ultra Ball, looking pleased with himself.

"Charizard!" Red yelled immediately, and a red light flashed. The Pokémon roared, and in a blur of movement, it dashed towards Licinius.

"Hoho, taking it back by force?" Licinius remarked, and he posed himself, Ultra Ball in hand, the man calm, while his other hand beckoned something to come over.

And in a split second, Darkrai appeared next to him, looking absolutely creepy and powerful at the same time.

"You might have to listen to me for this one, my dear comrade," he said to Darkrai. He flicked his wrists, and Darkrai grunted, as the sleeping people and Pokémon were lifted, and shifted to the side of the Hall.

"Let us rid ourselves of any form of distractions." Licinius said evenly. "No one likes an unfair game."

The center of the Hall was very much spacious, the surroundings perfect for a match. Meanwhile, Darkrai's eyes narrowed, and slowly, it shifted its focus onto Red's Charizard.

"Now," Licinius grinned widely, as he turned around, facing Red. "It's been far too long since I was out on the field, but please, do entertain me well, my dear player."

"..." Red glared at Licinius, his eyes filled with determination.

"Let the battle began," Licinius announced, a calculative smile upon his face, eyes shining hungrily.


End file.
